Demorior Mori Mortuus Amaris
by Silver Sparklze
Summary: Sixteen years ago on Halloween Lord Voldemort and his minions murdered Lily and James Potter. There were no witnesses...or were there? Muggle Adeline Chandler was only three at the time. And now He knows... [FINISHED]
1. Prologue

**Demorior Mori Mortuus Amaris**

_To die for love_

By Silver Sparklze

****

**PROLOGUE**

**DISCLAIMER: **I cannot be held responsible for the story below, as apparently my cats have learned how to type.

The man walked into the room, looking around and smiling. Sitting in the room were a lady with vibrant red hair and even brighter green eyes, and a baby, who'd the same eyes as the lady, and the same unruly hair as the man. The man strolled over to the woman, and kissed her long and hard.

_"Mmm, I needed that," He said, rocking back on his heels._

_"Hard day, James?" The woman asked._

_"Incredibly. We almost had him this time." James shook his head sadly. "How was yours, Lily? Little Harry behave himself?" He reached out a hand to touch the baby, but Lily slapped it away._

_"Don't you dare, I just got him to sleep." She said. "He's been rather unsettled all day for some reason. The Trick or Treaters sent him into hysterics."_

_"Aww, poor little mite. He's probably sensing our tension. We should be more careful. He might grow up to be a worrywart like Moony."_

_"Hmm…" Lily's lips were pursed. "We really should talk to him, you know. I'm sure he's not the spy. Shouldn't he be told that we swapped secret keepers?"_

_"Now, Lily, we've been through this. He's a werewolf, and as much as I'd like to trust him…I can't, I just can't."_

_"Very well." Lily sighed. "I'll put Harry to bed now." She rose, and was about to move when something shook the whole house._

_"Lily, it's Him! Run! Take Harry upstairs and get out of here!" James yelled suddenly, pushing Lily and Harry towards the door._

_"James I can't!"_

_"You must! You must survive, no matter what!" Sobbing, Lily flew up the stairs, and Addie followed her. She couldn't bear to see what happened next, and she screwed her eyes shut against the images that pervaded her incredible imagination. Moments later, Lily ran into Harry's room, and Addie watched her from one end, as she opened the window. Suddenly, the door flew in, and Lily turned away, shielding Harry with her body._

_"Stand aside, girl." The man who spoke those words was probably handsome once, but evil had eaten away at his every feature, and his bottomless eyes were cold as ice._

_"No!"_

_"Stand aside, and you will go free."_

_"No, please, have mercy."_

_"Fine! Avada Kadavra!" Addie screamed._

__

Adeline sat up in bed, still screaming. She got up, and ran to the bathroom, only just managing to get there before she vomited up her dinner. She rinsed out her mouth, flushed the toilet, and rested her hot forehead against the cool mirror in her bathroom.

Adeline Chandler was a perfectly ordinary girl. She was in her second year at Arts College, where she was studying sketching, watercolours, oil panting, charcoal, and literacy. She'd always been a good artist, and that's what she wanted her career to be. But ever since June three years ago, she'd been wondering if she shouldn't change her major.

Adeline growled in irritation, and pushed her sticky russet hair away from her forehead. She glanced in the mirror. Frustrated grey eyes stared back at her, framed by sooty black lashes and naturally arched eyebrows that stood out starkly in her pale face.

"Damn," She muttered, slamming her head against the glass, "Damn, damn, damn!" When this didn't wipe the images from her mind, she tried shaking her head wildly. "Why can't you leave me alone?!" She asked Lily and James, and little Harry. "Teach me to meddle in things I don't understand. I was three, ok? I didn't realise what I was doing! I was only three!"

"Adeline?" A sleepy voice asked, and a blonde head poked around the door, "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine, Melody. Sorry if I woke you."

"You didn't. I was studying. I'm going to bed now though." Melody looked at her hard, blue eyes concerned. "Are you sure you're ok? You look a little pale. Was it another nightmare?"

"Yeah,"

"You really should write a dream diary, you know. Dreams are really important, even nightmares. This one could be trying to send you a message, especially since you seem to have it all the time."

"Melody…not tonight, please?"

Melody Richards was a practicing witch, a Wiccan to be more precise, and she was always trying to convince Adeline that she should write down her dreams. "Ok. Get some sleep, all right? Any sleep. We've got a huge test in Lit tomorrow, and I really don't think you wanna fail it."

"Ok." Adeline nodded, and went back to bed.

Lucius Malfoy alternated from one foot to the other, feeling nervous. His research had finally paid off, he'd found her, he'd found the girl who could walk into paintings. His lip curled. It was a pity that the last surviving member of the Karickin family was a muggle, but there was nothing he could do about it.

She'd been rather hard to trace, seeing as one of the Karickins had married a muggle, and changed her name, then only sons had been born for many years, which was bad luck, since the female line in the Karickin family had this trait only.

Then, finally, there'd been a daughter born, who'd died in her teens while giving birth to another daughter, who'd been adopted rather shadily, twice, since wolves had attacked the first lot of parents. Werewolves, he was sure. But even the tidiest operation had its weak links, this one being the adoption official, who'd been only too happy to reveal the address of the muggle's parents after being threatened with a knife.

The muggle ways of killing were so messy, he reflected, but not without their uses. Now all that remained was telling the Dark Lord his news. He had a feeling that Lord Voldemort would _not_ be.

"Enter!" Lucius walked in. "Ah, Lucius, good. Any news on the Karickin front?" Lord Voldemort was sitting on his stone throne, Nagini coiled in his lap, looking quite happy with herself.

"Y-yes, sir."

"Well?"

"I've found her, sir."

"Excellent!"

"Of course, sir."

"You don't sound too pleased, Lucius. What aren't you telling me?"

"She's a muggle, sir," Lucius whispered it; hoping Lord Voldemort wouldn't hear him.

"WHAT!!!!" No such luck.

Adeline's pencil flew over the canvass, sketching a face that she knew as well as her own. The face of the Lily of her dreams. Large wise eyes full of love for the little boy nestled in her arms, a waterfall of wavy hair which seemed to reflect her mood, smiling lips, tiny ears, high cheekbones, the list went on and one.

Adeline had always been a good drawer, but it wasn't until she was three that she'd discovered that not only could she make things stick on paper, she could bring them to life, and even travel to their world too. She'd spent most of her time playing with strange animals that she drew after that, but something awful had happened when she'd gone into her unicorn poster on the wall.

She'd walked through the forest in the picture, and come out on the other side. There was a small cottage there. She'd entered the cottage, surprised to find it unlocked, and had walked out the back door into a small old-fashioned garden full of pansies, june lilies, tulips, columbines, roses, lavender, and many other plants and flowers that Adeline could not name.

But the real surprise had come next. She'd seen a man – James – walking into what looked like a living room right in front of her – smack bang – and he'd kissed the woman – Lily. That was when she'd realised that if she wanted; she could probably leave pictures from both ends. After all, if this picture was connected to another, surely they all were? It was then the He had attacked. She wasn't sure who He was, but she was deathly afraid of him nonetheless, and even at twenty, she still had the nightmares. They'd been getting steadily worse since her 17th birthday three years ago, which was when they'd begun again. June 24th, if she remembered correctly, four days _after_ her birthday.

"Wonderful, Adeline. You've really captured the love between a woman and her child." Professor Murick, Adeline's teacher praised her.

Adeline blushed. "Thank you, sir." She said, embarrassed.

"Who is it, Adeline? A modern Madonna? Perhaps your mother?"

"No, sir, it's someone I saw in a dream."

"Oh? Really…hmm…well, keep them coming, Adeline, keep them coming." Professor Murick walked off, a contemplative look on his face.

"This the painting?" The dark stranger asked.

Professor Murick nodded eagerly. "Do you really think she's good enough, Mr. Snape?" He asked eagerly.

'Mr. Snape' laughed cynically. "My boss will be very pleased, I can assure you of that. Perhaps I could have her phone number, so I may call her and tell her the good news?"

"Oh, no sir," Professor Murick shook his head quickly, "That's against the privacy rights of the students."

"Very well. Perhaps you could tell her I called in, and give her this card?" 'Mr. Snape' handed Professor Murick a small business card with _White Bumblebee Talent Agency_ written on it in flowing green script.

"Of course, Mr. Snape, I shall give it to her personally."

"Wonderful." 'Mr. Snape' swept out of the gallery, and then out of the building.

Adeline closed her eyes, and hummed along to the music. She could already see the picture forming, a red haired girl and a dark haired boy, dancing a waltz to the music. She began to paint, and was just about to fill in the girl's hair, when the doorbell rang. She sighed in frustration, running her hands through her hair, painting the ends of her auburn curls an even brighter red. "Mel, could you get that?" She yelled.

"Sure," Melody replied. There was the sound of her speaking to someone, then the door closed, and she came into the room. "That was Professor Murick. He said you'd been spotted for a talent agency!"

"What?! Are you sure?" Adeline jumped up.

"Yeah!" They both squealed, and hugged each other happily.

"Omigod I can't believe it!" Adeline waved her paintbrush around, spattering Melody with scarlet paint.

"Yeah, well, I need to take a shower and get the paint out of my hair. Perhaps you should go to the Library and check this agency out." Melody suggested.

"I'm there. I'll just get my things." Adeline didn't other changing out of her pain-spattered jeans and her shapeless white t-shirt. The Librarian had seen her worse. She did, however, run a brush through her hair and put it into a ponytail. With any luck, that boy from her Lit class would be there, studying for the essay that was due in next week. An essay that she had yet to make a start on.

Cursing, Adeline grabbed the books that she needed to renew at the library, her purse, her car keys, the business card, and, last but not least, the painting of the boy and girl, and a smaller version of the sketch she'd been doing in class. She'd have no peace until she finished them. Quite suddenly, she felt the most peculiar tugging sensation behind her navel. It was then and there that Adeline ceased to be at 12/A Mulbert Cove.

AN: Good?


	2. Chapter 1

**Demorior Mori Mortuus Amaris**

_To die for love_

_By Silver Sparklze_

**CHAPTER 1**

**For disclaimer see prologue**

"Ow!" Adeline yelped as she reappeared. "Damned evil weak ankles. I bet no superhero ever has weak ankles. Why do I have to get them? Just because I'm an ordinary girl that does not give them the right to give me weak ankles." She would have kept going, had someone not interrupted her diatribe.

"Ahem, thank you Miss Chandler."

Adeline shrieked, and turned around. Sitting behind a desk was an old man who – to her knowledge – could be Merlin or Gandalf the Grey. "Who are you?!" She asked, "Where am I?! What happened?!"

"Which question should you like me to answer first, Miss Chandler?"

"Call me Adeline." She said primly. "And as for the questions, start with the first one then work your way down."

"Very well. My name is Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. You are at Hogwarts, in my office. You were brought here by a port key in that little card there." He indicated to the business card that Adeline still clutched in her left fist. In her other hand was her sketchpad and the painting.

"Albus Dumbledore?" Adeline asked, "So it's _your_ business card!"

"How do you figure that?" A man sitting on the other side of the desk, quite close to her, asked.

"Well, Albus is Latin for white, and Dumbledore is Olde English for bumblebee." Adeline replied. "But why am I here?"

"You're here because you're in trouble," The man said, scowling. "Just like a girl to get into trouble involving those bloody Potters."

"Hey! I resent that remark! How incredibly sexist of you!" Adeline snapped. "And I don't know any Potters!"

"Oh?" The man sneered, and snatched the sketch off her. "Who are these people?"

"Lily and Harry." She said defensively.

"You've met Lily and Harry?" Albus raised an eyebrow.

"Only in my dreams." Adeline said, lying slightly. They didn't need to know that she'd also seen them when she was in a picture once. It wasn't the most normal thing. They might think she was crazy.

"Oh?" Albus raised one eyebrow. "What happened in these…dreams?"

"Well…I don't know if I should tell you. I want to know a bit more about you, and why I'm here, first."

"Very well, sit down." Albus gestured to the chair next to the scowling man's. Adeline sat in it, then childishly moved it away.

"Dammit, Albus, we don't have time for this!" The man exploded. "We need to know if she's the right one _now_! Do whatever it takes, use leglimency if you have to!"

"It doesn't quite work like that, Severus," Albus said mildly. "Adeline's powers are not magical as such, they are more a power of the mind –" He would have continued, but Adeline interrupted.

"ESP." She murmured.

"Ee es what?" Severus snapped.

"ESP. Extra Sensory Perception. Powers of the mind. But only one of my powers is ESP. How can being able to enter pictures be a power of the mind? It's not possible." Adeline didn't even think about the fact that they shouldn't know what she could do. After all, there were far more important things at hand. Like this lego-thing. It didn't sound nice.

"Anything is possible, Adeline." Albus smiled. "And what you are doing when you enter the pictures is a sort of Astral Projection. Theoretically, you cannot get hurt while in the painting, or even if you leave it at another end. But your physical body _can_ be hurt. It wouldn't even matter if you were trapped in a painting. Eventually, your body would call your spirit back anyway. Well…that's the assumation anyway. But what about this other power?"

"I think it's sorta connected to my painting power in a way…" Adeline paused. "You see, whenever I read an original text, I hear what the person was thinking when they were writing it. And I see whatever they were seeing. Images and all that. Like I said, sorta connected to my painting power."

"Yes, yes. As I was saying, because her powers are that of the mind, rather than that of magic, she has a natural block, which not even the most skilful leglimense can break through. The same would be said for some charms, specifically ones that controlled her mind, or her sense of free will. For example, I have a suspicion that she would not be effected by _Imperio_ in the slightest."

"Will you stop talking about me like I'm not here?" Adeline demanded.

"Of course, so sorry to have hurt your delicate feelings." Severus sneered.

"Shut up you slime ball." Adeline returned.

"Enough!"

Adeline jumped, then blushed. "Sorry, sir." She said.

"You're forgiven, Adeline. Now, back to the matter of telling you _why_ you're in danger. If I am not mistaken, seventeen years ago, you entered a picture, and found the entrance to another one, the one in Lily and James Potter's living room. You with me?" Adeline nodded. "Good. So, because of that, you witnessed James and Lily's deaths. Correct?"

"Uh huh."

"Very well. What you do not know is that Voldemort saw you that day, and realised that you must be a member of the Karickin Family. They were a family well known for their ability to travel into the realm of paintings. Only the women could do it, though. The men had a different trait. If they read an original text, they would know what the person was thinking when they wrote it. And what all the people who had read it before were thinking. You are the first female Karickin to carry this trait. Ever."

"Why?" Adeline asked. She was finding this all a bit much to take.

"I don't know. These 'mind powers' work in strange ways. What I _do_ know is that you are the last Karickin left, just as your mother was before you. If you die before having a child, a very old and influential Wizarding line will die with you." There was a tap at the door, and three people came in.

One was a boy with brilliant red hair and kind blue eyes, a girl with brown hair that was even fluffier than Melody's, and a boy…with _messy black hair and eyes the colour of emeralds_!

"_H-Harry_?" Adeline gasped. The images flew through her mind, James…Lily…Harry. Her mouth twisted as she tried to stop a sob from escaping. She hadn't known Harry, but she'd always loved children, and Harry's death had affected her very deeply. Even if she hadn't seen it. "B-but you _can't_ be Harry. He's dead!"

The Harry-look-alike seemed confused. "What do you mean?" He asked. "My name's Harry, and I'm most certainly _not_ dead!"

"Albus?" Adeline pleaded, "What's going on? He died, I'm _sure_ of it! And he _must_ be Lily's Harry. He has her eyes. And James' hair!"

"You knew my parents?" The boy – Harry – looked strangely hungry, and his two friends were rallying around him, protecting him.

Adeline regretted speaking now that she could see the emotions in the poor boy's eyes. His eyes were dark with pain, and he seemed to be crying out for help. She bit her lip. "Forget I mentioned it." She muttered, tugging on one dark red curl. She bent her head so that her eyes were hidden by her hair, and was surprised when someone jerked her head up roughly.

"No, Adeline, he will _not_ just forget it." Severus snapped, "Potter never forgets _anything_. Best to just tell him now and get it over with, or he'll pester you for eternity."

The redhead opened his mouth, glaring at Severus, but Adeline spoke first.

"I thought I told you to _shut up_ scunge-brain. It's bad enough when you talk about _me_ when I'm right in front of you, but don't display your lack of common courtesy in front of _children_. And, forgive me, but you _are_ children, at least for another year." She said when the girl opened her mouth to protest. "If you're the Harry from my dreams, then you're either 16 or 17, no older. Is he, Albus?"

"We believe so. In fact, we know so. Adeline Chandler, I'd like you to meet Harry Potter."

_AN:_ Thanks to these reviewers;

Kellalor: Thanks, I'm glad you like it.

Ridea: I get like that too sometimes .

JamieBell: Thanks. I rather wish I was like Adeline. She's so cool. But wait, there's more...romance is in store for our young heroine...in the chapter after next. :-P


	3. Chapter 2

**Demorior Mori Mortuus Amaris**

_To die for love_

_By Silver Sparklze_****

**CHAPTER 2**

**For disclaimer see prologue**

Adeline held out her hand. "Nice to meet you, my name's Adeline Chandler." She said politely.

Harry took it, grinning. "Yeah, nice to meet you too." He said.

"Don't you know who he is?" The redhead demanded.

Bewildered, Adeline shook her head. "No, why would I? All I know is that he must have survived His attack on James and Lily."

"Uh…who's 'He'?" The brunette asked.

"Dunno." Adeline said, "James and Lily referred to Him as He. All I know is that He scared me dreadfully. Mind you," She continued thoughtfully, "I _was_ only three and a half. At that time I was sure the bogeyman lived on my light." She laughed, then noticed the brunette's strange look. "What?" She asked, "Don't people in England _believe_ in the bogeyman?"

"Of course." The brunette said, "But we all think he lives in the closet, or under the bed, _not on the light_."

"Well I always was an odd child." Adeline said meditatively, "I guess having artwork for playmates saw to that."

"What?" The redhead frowned.

In moments, Adeline had told them her life story, and was asking Albus if she could have a cup of tea.

"Wow." The redhead said, "I never thought anyone could speak _that_ fast." He shook his head, "I mean, Hermione's come close a coupla times, but jeez."

The brunette nudged him in the side, blushing. "Shut up, Ron." She said.

"Yes, I do speak rather quickly," Adeline agreed. "Did you understand?"

"Yeah…" Harry said slowly.

"Oh. That's good. Sometimes I speak so fast, Melody tells me I need subtitles. Other times she looks for my batteries."

The brunette – Hermione – giggled.

"So lemme get this straight," The redhead – Ron – said, "You're a muggle, with this special ability Ee es something,"

"ESP, Extra Sensory Perception." Hermione and Adeline said in unison. They looked at each other, and grinned.

"Yeah, that. So you're a _muggle_ with ESP. Ok. And you've been brought here because you're in trouble because You-Know-Who wants to hurt you."

"Is that his name?" Adeline asked. "What a funny name. He would have been teased _so_ much when he was in school. What cruel parents. You-Know-Who indeed." She noticed that everyone was trying to hide a smile. "I know, I know, I'm an idiot." She sighed.

"No, you're just a muggle." Harry said. "His real name is Lord Voldemort."

"He's a lord? Who in his or her right mind would make someone like _him_ a lord? And Voldemort's even worse than You-Know-Who!"

"His christened name was Tom Marvolo Riddle." Albus said, "But he changed it when he became evil."

"Oh…" Adeline blushed. "My bad."

"Indeed." Albus agreed, eyes twinkling.

"So you're a _muggle_ who somehow met Harry's parents with this 'special ability'." Ron persisted.

"_Yes_." Adeline said.

"What other powers do ESP'ers have?" Ron asked curiously.

"Uh…telekinesis – moving things with the mind – pyrokinesis – lighting fires with the mind – and…well…lots of things. The most commonly known is telepathy, which means mind – to – mind communication, and you can also hear someone's thoughts."

"What?!" Ron and Severus exclaimed.

Adeline was confused. They looked so horrified. "What's wrong?" She asked.

"In the Wizarding World being able to read and/or hear someone's thoughts is considered Dark Magic." Hermione explained.

"Oh!" Adeline nodded, "I understand. But don't worry, there's hardly _anyone_ who can actually read everyone's mind. For one thing, many people have blocks on their minds which means you can't read them anyway, and you can usually only read the mind of someone very close to you.

"Twins are the most susceptible to this, as they've shared their mother's womb. You'll often find twins who can finish each other's sentences, and who know what their sibling is thinking and feeling, sometimes before the sibling does themselves. It's also quite common in close friends, lovers, and sisters. Hardly ever normal brothers for some reason.

"Scientific study has proven that women on the whole are far more sensitive in any type of ESP. Many people think that it's because women have to know where their offspring are at all times, and this is rather hard without _some_ kind of mind sensitivity. Many err…muggle? mothers have what we like to call 'eyes in the backs of their heads'. It means they know what their child is doing, almost before their child actually does it."

Adeline noticed that Ron and Severus just looked _more_ confused by her rather rushed explanation, but there wasn't much that she could do about _that_.

She also noticed that Albus seemed to be trying to hide a smile, and that Hermione and Harry seemed to understand perfectly. "So, Harry, I didn't actually _know_ your parents, I only saw them once. But I can tell you that they loved you, _very _much." She continued softly. Harry's eyes were very bright, and once again, Adeline regretted opening her big mouth. "Sorry," She said, "That wasn't my place." In her head she added; _Floor, please, swallow me now._

"No, that's all right." Harry replied, "I'm glad you said that. It…it helps…something."

"Ok." Adeline nodded, vowing not to ask questions.

"Now, Mr. Potter, Miss Granger, Mr. Weasley, what is it that you came in here for?" Albus asked.

"Well, Professor, we came to tell you that Harry's scar hurt." Hermione said.

"Ah. Does it still hurt, Mr. Potter?" Albus steepled his hands, and peered over his crescent moon glasses.

"No, Professor," Harry said, "It doesn't."

"Hmm… Very well. You may go. You too, Severus. I think Adeline and I need to talk privately."

"Very well, Albus." Severus said stiffly, although Adeline thought he was slightly hurt by Albus' words. He swept out, and Harry, Hermione, and Ron left soon after.

"Now, Adeline, do you want to hear the rest of the story behind the current situation?" Albus asked. Adeline nodded eagerly. She'd always enjoyed a bedtime story, and although this wasn't the usual material, or type, it was sure to be interesting.

"Very well. It all started over fifty years ago, when a young boy named Tom Marvolo Riddle was enrolled in Hogwarts…"

_AN:_ I'm going on holiday for two weeks, and I won't be near a computer, so that's why I'm putting up two chapters at once.


	4. Chapter 3

**Demorior Mori Mortuus Amaris**

_To die for love_

By Silver Sparklze

****

**CHAPTER 3**

**For disclaimer see prologue**

Adeline stared at the canopy of the bed. She'd been staring at it for three hours. She sighed in frustration, and rolled over, tangling the already knotted sheets.

"Damn!" She muttered, thumping the pillow, "Damn, damn, damn!" She got up, and walked over to the window, gazing sightlessly out at the full moon. Slowly, as if in a trance, she closed her eyes, and slumped to the ground.

* * *

_Adeline floated through the air, and around all of Hogwarts. Here and there she caught faint strands of coloured magic, some bright, some dark, some impossibly contrasting. There was a rather repulsive colour drifting towards her from a tower to the north, so she changed direction, and followed an amber–gold magic back to its source. _

_A huge grey wolf lay on the floor of a rather messy office, limbs sprawled. Adeline froze for a moment, hardly daring to draw a breath, somehow certain that this wolf could see her, even in this strange ethereal form, before moving again when the wolf left out a shuddering sigh, its paws twitching like a dog's did when it was asleep and dreaming of chasing rabbits or something similar._

_Adeline avoided the wolf entirely, hovering towards the desk slowly. She looked at the papers on there, and frowned at the one that didn't belong, a ratty old thing, quite unlike the new cream of the others. She picked it up and…_

* * *

Adeline's eyes opened suddenly, and she felt quite light – headed. She also felt as though she could sleep now, and stood up, not noticing the piece of parchment that fluttered to the ground…

"Miss Chandler, Miss Chandler, oh why is Miss Chandler not waking?" It was this question, said in a despairing, squeaky voice that woke Adeline the next morning.

She yawned, and sat up, pushing heavy, knotty red-brown curls out of her face as she did so. Her hair must have fallen out of its braid during the night. "Whassa ma'er?" She drawled thickly, her voice refusing to work properly at such an awful time of the morning.

"Mr–Dumbledore–Professor–Sir wants to speak with you, Miss Chandler." Said the small…thing. It was wringing its neat baby-blue skirt in its hands, and tugging on its long ears, which poked out from underneath a blue hat, at regular intervals. The fact that it was wearing a skirt made Adeline suspect that the _thing_ was a girl, but she couldn't be sure.

"Uh…ok…what's your name, first of all? I'd really like to know what I can call you." Adeline decided to reserve judgement on whether or not the strange creature could be trusted. "And second, what are you? Because, and I hope you don't take this the wrong way, I'm not trying to be rude, but I've never seen anything like you before." To her astonishment, the thing burst into tears. "Oh! Please don't cry!" Adeline said desperately, "Please! Whatever I said that upset you, I'm sorry, just don't cry!"

"Oh you is such a _good_ muggle, Miss! Why did I ever believe Mr. Crouch when he claimed muggles were bad, Miss? You is so kind, so polite, so nice! Winky is quite overcome, Miss!" The thing wailed.

"Winky? Is that your name?"

"Yes, Miss." Winky nodded, huge tears still leaving her eyes.

"Well, Winky, please stop crying, I hate to think that I've upset you."

"Oh, you has not upset Winky, Miss. Winky is just amazed at your niceness, Miss."

"Oh…ok. Well, that's question one answered, 'who are you?'. Now for question two, 'what are you?'"

"I is a house-elf, Miss. I is one of the…servants at Hogwarts. Mr–Dumbledore–Professor–Sir took me in when I is disgracing my family by being thrown out of Mr, Crouch's home. I is not very grateful for his doing so, Miss," Winky looked at her from under long eyelashes, "And I is being so rude as to cry for my other life, even though Mr–Dumbledore–Professor–Sir is being so much more good to me than Mr. Crouch. And I has been sent to take you to Mr–Dumbledore–Professor–Sir so that he can be talking with you."

"Ok…so you're a servant. Right." Adeline yawned.

"I has gotten you up too early!" Winky wailed. "Bad Winky, bad Winky!" She hit herself over the head with a water jug that was in the corner of the room.

"Winky! Stop! Please! Oh, don't hurt yourself!" Adeline cried, bolting across the room quicker than she would have thought possible, and taking the jug away from Winky. "It's ok, I don't mind. But tell me, is there anywhere that I can get some clothes to wear? The ones I was wearing yesterday seem to have vanished, and I can hardly go to talk to Albus in a borrowed nightdress."

"Mr–Dumbledore–Professor–Sir says that there are clothes enough in that closet, and that the nightdress is yours to keep. He is saying that there are also shoes, and underthings in the bureau." Winky blushed.

"Oh…great…thanks. Is there somewhere that I might have a shower, or a bath, before I go to see him?"

"Yes, Miss, there is. You can be going to the teacher's bathroom on this floor. Only one other person uses it, and he is most probably asleep."

"Ok, great. Can you show me where this bathroom is? I really, really want to have a wash before I see Albus."

"Of course, Miss. Follow me."

Adeline rubbed the lavender scented shampoo into her hair, sighing as the knots were loosened and the paint came out. "I've gotta get some of this to take back with me." She murmured, grabbing the bucket that sat conveniently by the side of the bath, and proceeding to wash the soapy substance out of her dark red locks, which were getting darker by the minute.

The water was still magically soap free, and she decided to enjoy that. She ducked under the water, and then slowly drifted back up. Suddenly, she got the feeling that she was being stared at, and opened her eyes, to see a rather astonished man looking down at her from the doorway. His gaze flicked over her once, then he flushed red, and gazed at the ceiling pointedly. "W-who are you?" She squeaked, scrambling to find a towel…a washcloth…_something_!

"My name's Remus Lupin," The shaggy haired man replied, "Who are you? And what are you doing in my bathroom?"

"I'm Adeline Chandler. And Winky said it was ok for me to use this bathroom." Adeline replied, having finally found two towels, which she was putting to good use, twining one in her water darkened hair and wrapping the other securely about her.

"Oh…I'm so sorry for intruding." Remus' cheeks were such a dark red now that Adeline idly wondered if he was going to explode.

"That's ok. But can you…go? Please? I don't want to be rude…"

"No, no, no problem. I'm the one who's being rude, and who is out of line. Please excuse me." He left then, closing the door behind him, and Adeline breathed a sigh of relief.

She really didn't want to leave now, to have to face him, someone she didn't even know, who'd just seen more of her than anyone had seen since her 10th birthday. "Now look here, Adeline." She said to herself sternly, "You've never been one to run away from something scary or embarrassing, and you're not going to now. So finish bathing, get dressed, and go visit Albus. If you see Remus Lupin again, apologise for being in his bathroom, and then ignore him. He's probably traumatised for having seen _you_ naked anyway. There are many more attractive people, most likely in this very castle." That decided, she nodded firmly, took off the towels, and stepped back into the water.

"Winky?" Adeline looked uncertainly around the room she was staying in, and really saw it for the first time. It was a small room, but it was light and airy, with cream coloured walls and sepia trimming. The whole room was done in this style, all beiges and light browns, and Adeline liked the effect. Very quiet and elegant. She picked up her painting of the boy and girl, and could see them dancing, almost revolving on the spot, talking quietly. The girl was looking at him with such love in those dark brown eyes, and his own answered her as heartfeltedly as if he'd actually said the words. Adeline shook her head, refusing to be drawn into the painting. Look what had happened last time.

"Winky?" She repeated. She hissed in annoyance when there was no reply, and stomped out of the room, rather liking the way her soft charcoal grey robe swirled out behind her. She could like the robe for the colour alone, since it was almost the same colour as her eyes, but the cut was comfortable, and modest, and her white schoolgirl blouse and pleated grey knee-length skirt set it off perfectly. And with her crazy hair in a ponytail tied with a grey ribbon she almost looked like a carefree teenager, until you saw the eyes. Kind of hard to _ever_ look carefree once you'd witnessed someone's death.

Sighing, she left the room, and looked around. The bloody school was way too big, and there was no _way_ she was going to find Albus' office, let alone wherever it was that they had meals. "Dammit," She cursed.

"Miss Chandler?"

Adeline turned around, and felt her cheeks flame at the sight of Remus Lupin. "H-hi." She stammered. "Please, call me Adeline. Everyone else does."

"I don't know," Remus said, smiling slightly, "Adeline's rather long. Any objection to being called Ada? I think it suits you perfectly."

"What do you mean?" Adeline asked.

"Look it up sometime." Was all Remus would say in reply. "What's wrong?" He asked next.

"Well, Winky the house-elf was supposed to show me to Albus' office, supposedly he needed to talk to me, but I can't find her anywhere." Adeline explained.

"I can help you out if you like," Remus offered, "I know where Albus' office is."

"That would be great, thanks." Adeline replied, trying to gather up the courage to look him straight in the eye. Finally she gave up. There was just no way she could look into those amber eyes after what Remus had seen. She felt her whole face heat up when he touched her arm and led her towards Albus' office, and she kept her eyes staring straight ahead the whole time. There was no way she could look around and see him looking at her in amusement, probably thinking that she was a silly little girl.

"Here we are." Remus' soft voice drew her out of her reverie, and she found that she was indeed standing in front of Albus' office. She recognised the gargoyle from her trip to her room last night.

Suddenly, the gargoyle moved, and Harry came out. He looked surprised to see Adeline there, even more so to see Remus. "Moony!" He exclaimed, "What are you doing here?!"

"I was escorting Ada to Albus' office, then I was going to go to breakfast. Care to join me, M.I.T?"

"Er…M.I.T?" Adeline asked.

"Marauder In Training." Harry and Remus said together, grinning. Adeline was glad to see that Harry could smile, he looked much happier when he was smiling.

"Ok…" _I will _not_ ask._ She thought firmly. "Well, I really must get going, see you both later." She turned to the gargoyle, and gave it a fierce glare. Upon seeing her look, it opened immediately, something that Adeline did not realise was out of the ordinary.

"Albus?" Adeline called, looking around the room cautiously. She ignored the whispers from the paintings, and was thankful that they hadn't tried to draw her into their world.

"Ah, Adeline, you're here. Wonderful." Albus smiled. "Please, sit down."

Uncertainly, Adeline sat where Albus had indicated, in a low chair covered in maroon velvet.

"Tea?" Albus offered.

"No thank you."

"Very well." Albus sat opposite her, and steepled his hands together, looking at her over his moon-shaped spectacles. "What I have to ask you may shock you…would you like to be a teacher here?"

"Wh-what?" Adeline gasped. "How can I be a teacher?! What could I teach?! How to get your hair covered in paint?!"

"Well, I was thinking more along the lines of Muggle Studies, since that teacher has left, but I suppose we could add another class to the curriculum." Albus said smiling.

Adeline's cheeks flushed. "Er…I suppose I could try…I mean, who could know more about the muggle world than a muggle, right?"

"Precisely. Now, we'd better inform the students that we have found a replacement. I'm sure that they will be very thankful that they will no longer be taught by Professor Trelawny, who is, at best, a little odd."

"Ok…" Adeline nodded, "Right. But aren't I a bit…well…young?"

"You're twenty-one, are you not? And as you said, you know more about the muggle world than any other teacher at this school."

"Well, Albus, I can accept that. But do the kids have to call me Professor?"

"No, Adeline, if that's not what you want."

"I'd prefer it if they called me Miss Chandler. I was planning to teach art eventually anyway, and that's what the kids would have called me."

"Very well, Adeline, welcome to teaching."

Adeline grinned. "Thank you, Albus." She replied.

"Now that's over with, let's go down to breakfast, shall we?"

"Yes, let's."

* * *

"Silence." Albus called, making every single student who was eating breakfast stop talking at once. "Thank you. Now, I am sure you will all be pleased to know that I have managed to find you a new Muggle Studies teacher," He paused, as the whole Hall cheered. It was the still in the first week of school, so most students were still managing to drag themselves out of bed early, instead of lingering until the last moment. "Yes, yes, settle down," The students did so. "May I introduce, Miss Chandler."

Adeline, who had been waiting outside the Great Doors walked in, and walked up to the stage, ignoring the strange stares she got from the students. What could they be staring at? It wasn't like she was any great beauty. She wasn't pretty at all. She was skinny and her hair was too dark to be red, and too light to be brown. Her eyes were plain, boring old grey, and she was really pale.

So, she kept her eyes to the front, only pausing to grin and wave at Harry, Ron and Hermione. She groaned when she saw the only empty seat at the High Table was between Severus and some stern looking lady. The lady she could handle but Severus she couldn't.

"So, a teacher, hmm, Adeline." Severus sneered.

"Leave me alone you overgrown weed." Adeline snapped. She turned to the lady, pretending not to notice that the woman was trying not to smile. "Hi, my name's Adeline Chandler." She said politely, her voice changing from nasty to sweet and innocent so fast that the woman looked a bit shocked.

"Minerva McGonagall, professor of Transfiguration." Minerva replied.

"Oh, how interesting. Uh…what's Transfiguration?" Adeline asked. She spent the rest of breakfast finding that out.

* * *

Adeline bit her lip, and looked at the map that Minerva had given her. The damned halls seemed to be changing on her. Her eyes lit up when she saw Harry, walking with Ron, Hermione, and a red-haired girl who looked rather like the one she'd been painting. "Harry!" She called, running up to him.

He turned around, and grinned. "Hey, Adeline," He greeted her, "How are you?"

Adeline hugged him, glad to find someone she knew. "I'm fine, you? Sorry that I had to leave so quickly this morning. According to Winky, that meeting with Albus was important."

"No problem. Moony and I had a lot to catch up on."

"Ok. Well, anyway, can you show me to the Muggle Studies room? I'm supposed to be teaching the sixth year class, and I have no idea where it is! This place just doesn't like me!"

"Ginny's in that class, she can show you." Ron offered.

The redhead stomped on his foot.

"Ow! What was that for?!"

"Are you Ginny?" Adeline asked.

The redhead nodded, rather reluctantly.

"Cool. I'm Adeline Chandler, your new teacher. You can call me Adeline outside of class, if you like."

"I'd rather call you Dragon's Dinner." Ginny muttered.

Adeline frowned, wondering what that was about. "Uh…ok…my hearing's pretty good, if you wanted to know, and I heard that. But I won't hold it against you; my friend Nick isn't much of a morning person either."

Ginny brightened considerably at that. "Your boyfriend?" She asked eagerly.

"Nah, I don't have a boyfriend. Don't really want one at the moment either. Where would I find one that would listen to me when I told them that I worked at a school for mini witches and wizards? I'd be committed!"

"Ok…" It was obvious that Ginny had no idea what Adeline meant, but she seemed to accept it, and then she frowned. "What if you _could_ find someone who'd accept it?" She asked.

"Well that would mean they'd have to be a wizard, in which case why would they choose to marry a muggle, even one of the Karickin? Aside from that, why would anyone want to be with me anyway?"

"How can you say that?!" Hermione exclaimed. "You're gorgeous." Adeline smiled wryly.

"Hardly. I mean, take you; you have fantastic brown hair, beautiful warm eyes, tan skin, and a great figure. Plus, if what I've gathered is right, you're smart.

"And take Ginny. She's got magnificent red hair, to die for eyes, and those freckles are positively adorable. Then you look at me. Tall, skinny, uncontrollable hair that's too dark to be red, too light to be brown, boring grey eyes, and pale skin that refuses to tan, or even burn! How could I measure up to _anyone_, muggle _or_ magical?" She smiled sadly, "The only way I can make things beautiful is to paint them. Now, Ginny, you'd better show me the way to class." Adeline led Ginny off, allowing no room for protest.

* * *

Remus Lupin frowned slightly, looking at his desk. He was sure he'd left it there…Harry was going to _kill_ him. He'd lost the _Marauder's Map_!!!!

* * *

AN: Ooh, bad Remus! grins

Reviewer Response:

_JamieBell:_ First, romance with Harry??? Nuh uh! No way in heaven _or_ hell. For one thing, Adeline's three years older than him...so it's kinda squicky, y'know? For another, after this chapter, you'll know it's _illegal_ (at least in Oz) because she's an authority figure. So don't worry. In fact...you kinda might get an idea in this chapter...we'll see, I guess. Koodles if you do.

_LoudMouthStar:_ What _isn't_ up with Malfoy? Anyway, here's the next chapter.


	5. Chapter 4

**Demorior Mori Mortuus Amaris**

_To die for love_

By Silver Sparklze

**CHAPTER 4**

**For disclaimer see chapter 1**

* * *

"Welcome," Adeline said to the class, smiling at them all. "As…Professor Dumbledore told you all this morning, I am your new Muggle Studies teacher, Miss Chandler. What he didn't tell you is that I am a muggle."

She waited patiently for the students to stop talking, counting every minute. "Thank you. You have just added five extra minutes to this lesson before you will be let out to morning break." She waited as the protests rang out. "And that's another minute." They all shut up.

"Good." Adeline grinned. "Now, as I was saying, I'm a muggle. But regardless of that fact, I still know how to keep you from leaving. Now, before we begin class every Tuesday, you must leave your wands on my desk. You can retrieve them after class has ended." She held up a hand as the students opened their mouths. "You want to lose more time?" She asked them.

Their mouths snapped shut. "Didn't think so. Now, as I was saying, wands on my desk. Anyone who disagrees can spend this double with either Professor Dumbledore or Mr. Filch. If you do want to spend your time with them, stand up now." She noticed with some amusement that no one stood.

"Great," She clapped her hands, "Let's get on with it, then. Wands up front, please." Slowly, grumbling all the while, the students brought their wands up the front and put them on Adeline's desk. "My, that was pathetic." Adeline said, after everyone was back in his or her seat. "The only one out of all of you who managed to get to their seat quickly was Ginny Weasley. Well done, Ginny, two points to Gryffindor." Ginny flushed slightly pink.

"Now, since that's out of the way, we shall begin. As of next week you will write with muggle ballpoint pens, muggle paper, and each of you need to bring in five galleons to put towards laptop computers. But for today you may use your quills and parchment. However, once I have supplied you with muggle stationary I expect you to use it for all your essays. I will also supply you each with a mechanical pencil, lead, and an eraser. If you lose something you must give me five knuts to replace it.

"I will not tolerate rudeness, profanity, tardiness, or disrespect, towards either myself, or another student. Any house rivalry you leave outside the door. In this class I will expect you all to help your fellow students when they need it. As I said, I will not tolerate disrespect. If you are cruel to any of your fellow classmates and I catch you there will be dire consequences. Mr. Filch will have a loyal helper for a month." That caused every single students face to pale.

Adeline had a feeling that the class was wondering how she could look so innocent, and be so strict, so she figured that it was time that they had some fun. "Ok, what do you guys know about the muggle world?" She perched on the edge of her desk, swinging her legs. "Don't be shy, now. I promise you'll be rewarded." Everyone's hands immediately shot up in the air. "Ok…let's start with…" She looked around, and pointed at a dark-haired Gryffindor boy. "You. What's your name?"

"Colin Creevey." The boy said eagerly.

"Ok, Colin. What you do know about the muggle world?"

"Well, I'm a muggle-born, so I know quite a lot. One thing being that most muggles can't go one day without their daily coffee intake. For example, my Aunt Delores _lives_ on a coffee drip." Adeline's mouth quirked.

"How interesting." She said. "Very good. Two points to Gryffindor, and come up here to get your chocolate frog." Colin got up eagerly, and took the small frog from her. "As of next week I'll reward you with muggle sweets, and little stickers, toys, etc. It'll all depend on what I can get at the time." She told them. "Now, something else?"

"Muggles use electricity to power most of their things." A blonde girl with a Ravenclaw crest said. Her large shining silver eyes were focused on Adeline in a way that was almost frightening.

"Correct, Miss…" Adeline trailed off.

"Lovegood. Luna Lovegood." The girl supplied.

"Correct, Luna. Two points to Ravenclaw, and a levitating gumball."

"Thank you." Luna said, taking the sweet.

"And another two points for being the first one to say thank you." Adeline replied, smiling.

After that everyone said thank you in the hope of getting extra points, but Adeline gave out points only for information. By the end of the class, the points for each house were thus:

**Hufflepuff:** 24

**Ravenclaw: **30****

**Gryffindor: **32

**Slytherin:** 10

There was only one Slytherin in the class, and he had been sure to inform Adeline that he was only here because all the other classes were full. Adeline had not pointed out that he had been the one who volunteered the most answers, closely followed by Ginny Weasley and Colin Creevey.

"Well," Adeline grinned at everyone. "That was an entertaining lesson. And since you were all so good at answering the questions, you needn't stay behind the extra seven minutes. Next week we will begin Muggle Religions. We might even try out a few…if I can get your parent's permission. So here is a permission slip, owl it to your parents. I need them back by Tuesday week. Homework…take one of the muggle things we have talked about today and write at least two hundred words on it. Have a good week." She waited until everyone had filed out, before turning to Ginny, who had not yet left.

"How'd I go?" She asked anxiously. Ginny grinned, her freckled face almost glowing.

"You were wicked." She said happily, "I haven't had so much fun in ages. And the candy was a great idea."

"I thought it would be a good way of keeping everyone interested." Adeline admitted. "You don't think it was a little too childish?"

"Nah, it was fine. I haven't seen any of them so animated since Colin put a frog down Professor Lovett's dress. She was our last teacher, and we all hated her. But even she was better than having Trelawny."

"Who _is_ Trelawny?"

"She's the Divination teacher, and a real quack."

"Ah. One of those 'death and destruction will fall down upon you all' people, huh?"

"Exactly. That's Trelawny to a 'T'."

"Well, I'm glad you liked the lesson. Er…what do I do now?"

"Uh…I dunno what the other teachers do during break, but I do know what I like to do."

"What's that?"

"Play chess."

"Oh. I've always wanted to learn how to play chess, will you teach me?"

"Sure. Let's go to the Library and get a chess set before all the good ones are taken." Adeline and Ginny set off.


	6. Chapter 5

**Demorior Mori Mortuus Amaris**

_To die for love_

By Silver Sparklze

**CHAPTER 5**

**For disclaimer see chapter 1**

* * *

"You WHAT?!" Harry exclaimed.

Remus decided it would be best if he did not mention how like his father he looked, or how like his mother he sounded. "I lost it." He muttered, looking at his feet.

"You lost the Map. You _lost_ the Map. _You lost the Map!!!_"

"Yes. I lost the Map."

"How could you _lose_ it?! Who could have been in here and taken it?!"

Remus heard something, and gestured for Harry to be quiet. Both of them listened hard.

* * *

"Ginny?" Adeline called, frowning and trying not to let the thoughts in.

"Yes, Adeline?" Ginny asked, turning around.

"Do you know a Moony, Padfoot, Wormtail and Prongs?"

"Er…"

"It's just they keep on arguing over which charms to put on this piece of parchment. It's really quite amusing. Every few minutes Prongs loses track of the argument when Padfoot teases him about…'his red–haired jade'. Not sure who that is, but Prongs is very flustered about it."

"Uh…yes, yes I do know a Moony. And a Padfoot. And a Wormtail. But I never met Prongs. Harry did, though."

"Oh. Good. Could you give this to one of them? It's their's, you see. Not sure exactly how it ended up in my room, but it did."

"Sure." Ginny stretched out her hand, and was about to take the piece of parchment, when the door next to Adeline opened. Adeline caught sight of the office inside and had to stop herself from gasping in shock.

It was the office that she'd seen in her dream. It was then that she remembered, all in a rush, where exactly this piece of parchment had come from. It had come from the office. She'd been looking at it before she woke up. That meant she'd not been dreaming. It also meant that she had a new power, astral projection. The person that stepped out of the office made her whole face flush a brilliant red colour, and she felt sure that it had travelled all the way down her neck.

"Adeline, are you ok?" Ginny asked, looking concerned.

"Fine." Adeline mumbled, looking down at the ground.

Ginny looked towards the office, and obviously saw Remus walking out. For some reason, the atmosphere became a whole lot warmer once Ginny'd seen him. "Oh, hello, Professor." She said brightly, "Adeline's found your map."

Adeline held out the map, and Remus took it. It was then that Adeline remembered Harry calling Remus 'Moony'.

"Thank you, Ginny," Remus said, smiling at her. He turned around, and stuck his head back in his office, "Here you are, Harry," He said, "I told you it wasn't anything to worry about." He ducked out of the room, as a book flew out. "Be careful!" He hollered, "Your mum gave me that one."

Harry walked out, and hit him upside the head. "Honestly." He huffed.

Ginny giggled. "You have no idea how much you sounded like Hermione just then." She said. Harry glared at her, and she held up her hands in mock apology. "Ok, ok, I'm sorry," She said, "Jeez, who broke your broomstick?"

"Sorry, Ginny," He sighed, and rubbed one hand through his hair, "I'm angry with Moony, not with you."

"Hey!" Remus had a look of mock-hurt on his face, "Don't talk about me like I'm not here."

"So sorry to have offended your delicate feelings." Adeline teased, forgetting where she'd heard those words before. She looked up at him, then went red and had to look down. But not before she'd caught him poking his tongue out at her.

"Oh, look at the time." Ginny said suddenly, "I have to go and get ready for my next class."

"Allow me to walk you to the Tower." Harry offered.

Ginny grinned. "I'd like that."

Adeline smiled slightly at the way they were looking at each other. "Oh I've gotta paint that." She whispered. She whipped out her notebook from her bag and began sketching. By the time they'd looked away and began walking off she'd gotten the basic outline and was working on everything else.

"What are you doing?" Remus asked, walking over and taking a peek. He whistled. "Wow, you're really good."

Adeline blushed…_again_. "Thanks," She said, "I've always loved drawing, and when I see things like that I can't help but want to draw them. This is the third picture I've drawn of Harry."

"Can I see the others?" Remus asked.

"Sure. They're in my room, if you want to have a look." Adeline offered. She didn't think he would take her up on it, her drawings weren't _that_ good, he was probably just trying to be polite.

"Great. Now, or do you have a class?"

"Er…yes, I do. Perhaps tonight, after dinner?" Adeline felt strangely breathless.

"I'll look forward to it." Remus smiled. "Well, I've got to get going, see you later."

Adeline nodded, and headed back to her classroom, slightly out of breath.

* * *

AN: Ok, if no one knows who's gonna be romancing Adeline I'm gonna get very upset.

Reviewer Response: Glad you liked it, too busy to give mentions atm. Sorry.


	7. Chapter 6

**Demorior Mori Mortuus Amaris**

_To die for love_

By Silver Sparklze

**CHAPTER 6**

For disclaimer see chapter 1

* * *

Adeline looked up from the papers she was grading (she'd had the seventh years all write an essay about what they knew about muggles to be handed in at the end of the lesson) when there was a knock at the door.

"Come in," She called.

Ginny, Hermione, Ron and Harry all poked their heads around the door, and grinned.

She smiled back. "Hi, guys," She said as they walked in.

All four sat on the two desks in front of her.

(The classroom had been set up sort of like a Lecture Room in university with desks lining the three back walls, with raised seating as it went on, so that there was room in the middle for spell work, demonstrations, etc. Adeline had changed it with the help of Ginny, who'd done the spells, so that it was set up more like a normal classroom, with desks in rows. There were all these ledges which looked sort of odd, but Albus had said all she had to do was place a hand on a Castle Wall, and ask it to change the room to how she wanted it to look, making sure to imagine it properly.)

Harry was fiddling with a gold ball that had silver wings twisting his wrist so that it hovered for a moment, before catching it again. Adeline got the idea that he didn't really want to be here, and that he was feeling guilty about that, so he was taking his frustration out on the little orb. Ron was sitting with one hand entwined with Hermione's, something that Adeline took note of quite obviously. She was amused when Hermione and Ron both reddened.

Ginny was grinning at her idiotically for some reason. She turned to the two boys. "Ok," She said, "You guys can go now if you want."

Both boys got up, so fast that they would have knocked over the desks they were sitting on, had Ginny and Hermione not been sitting on them too, and ran out.

"Well, that was entertaining." Adeline remarked. "What did you girls want to talk to me about?"

"Do you like Remus Lupin?" Hermione asked bluntly.

"That's getting straight to the heart of the matter." Adeline remarked, an amused smile gracing her lips.

"Do you?" Ginny persisted.

"He's nice…but what do you mean 'like'?"

"We mean…_like_, as in, 'Gee he's hot, wonder what he wears under those robes' like, or 'I'd like to spend the rest of eternity with him' like." Ginny said.

"Ok…no, I don't." Adeline said firmly, flushing at the very thought.

"You're blushing!" Hermione squealed.

Adeline eyed her strangely, wondering what had gotten into the girl. Hermione had always struck her as a very serious person. "Ok, what's this all about?" She asked sternly. "Are you trying to set me up with Professor Lupin?"

Both girls looked distinctly uncomfortable. "No…" They said, making it sound more like a question than a statement.

"Girls," Adeline sighed. She really felt older than just twenty at times like this. "I don't _want_ to go out with Professor Lupin, and even if I _did_, I wouldn't want you two setting me up with him." As usual, whenever Remus was mentioned, she went red. At least this time it was less noticeable. She could hardly feel it. Obviously, though, Hermione and Ginny noticed it, because they exchanged looks.

"Uh huh." Ginny said doubtfully,

"Of course not," Hermione agreed, her eyes twinkling. "Well, we've got to go, see you later."

"Girls!" Adeline called, hurrying after them as they ran through the door, "Remus is cute but I _don't_ fancy him…hi, Remus." She blushed bright red as Remus walked towards her.

"It's nice to know what you think of me." Remus teased. "Are you ready?"

"Huh?" Adeline asked, a little flustered.

"You were going to show me your pictures. Are you ready, or do you still have marking to do?"

"Nothing that can't wait." Adeline said breezily. "How were your classes?"

"Oh, I didn't have any today, thank Merlin." Remus replied, "I never do the day after the full moon. How were yours, Ada?"

"Fine. The students were so eager. I suppose that'll change in a week or so. Why don't you have any after the full moon?"

"Well…" Remus looked troubled.

"What? Did I say something wrong? Oh damn, I did, didn't I? I always did have a big mouth. Mum told me that it would get me into trouble one–" Adeline stopped when Remus put his hand over her mouth. Her cheeks were burning; she could feel it.

"No, you didn't." Remus said quietly. "The reason I never have classes after the full moon is…well…I'm a werewolf."

Adeline drew away in horror, her eyes widening. "Y-you're a wh-what?" She stammered. Her heart was beating very fast, and she saw again the flash of snapping teeth.

"A werewolf." Remus said miserably. "Look, I understand if you don't want to talk to me anymore…Ada? Ada?"

For Ada was whimpering slightly, her eyes wide and glazed over. She seemed to be in some kind of trance. The voice which sprang from Ada's lips was not hers, but that of a very small child. "Mummy!"

Remus knelt beside her, since she'd sunk to the ground, and gathered her up into his arms.

"Mummy, don't leave. Please. Oh no, bad doggy, don't hurt me." Ada whimpered, entirely caught up in what she was seeing. Suddenly, Ada stopped moving.

Remus decided not to take any chances. He scooped Ada up into his arms, and raced for the Infirmary.

* * *

"Hmm. Yes, I think I know what's happening here," Madame Pomfrey said, frowning slightly.

Remus transferred his weight from one foot to the other anxiously. "What? What?" He asked.

"It seems that something traumatic must have happened in her childhood, and something has triggered a reaction to it. She's gone into shock. But don't worry," Madame Pomfrey paused to mutter a spell, "she'll be fine in about half an hour or so." She looked at her watch. "Oh, nuts. I've got an appointment with Albus, and I really can't be late."

"I'll look after her." Remus offered.

"Thank you, dear. I wouldn't ask, but you know, Albus mustn't be kept waiting, what with You-Know-Who on the loose and everything." Madame Pomfrey shuddered delicately.

"Yeah. Well, you mustn't be late for that meeting." Remus urged her, and, giving him a suspicious look, she left. He turned to the empty air behind him. "Ok, guys, you can come out now."

There was a slight displacing of the air, then Hermione, Harry, Ginny, and Ron appeared. Harry placed his invisibility cloak neatly over the end of Ada's bed.

"How is she?" Hermione asked anxiously.

Ginny nodded.

"She's better," Remus sighed, "Madame Pomfrey gave her a potion, which seems to have calmed her down."

"What happened?" Ron asked.

"Well…I told her I was a werewolf." Remus said, his face the picture of misery.

Ginny came over and hugged one arm. "Oh, Remus." She sighed.

"Yes, well, as you hear Madame Pomfrey say, she's gone into post-traumatic stress. Something must have happened when she was young, which had to do with wolves. That means she's bottled it away all these years, and I've accidentally made her re-experience it. Poor child."

"Hey," Said a groggy voice from the bed, "I heard that."

Remus' face lit up, as he turned around, and saw Ada sitting up, pushing her glorious dark hair away from her face. "You're awake!" He exclaimed.

"Thanks for pointing that out." Ada said dryly. She placed a hand to her head. "Gee, I've got an awful headache."

"Well you would, you just fainted." Ron said bluntly.

"Thank you for reminding me, Ron." Ada turned to look at Remus, and her cheeks went red.

Remus knew she was once again thinking of that morning, when he'd walked in on her in the bath, and he could feel his own cheeks flush.

"How'd I get here?"

Remus went even redder, and shifted from one foot to the other, this time in embarrassment.

"Remus carried you." Harry answered, and at that point in time, Remus could have quite happily strangled his best friend's son, with absolutely no qualms at all.

Ada went, if it was possible, an even darker red, almost bordering on magenta. "Oh." Ada said, and her voice was unnaturally high, "How…nice." She sat up more fully. "Thank you, Remus."

"Anyone would have done the same." Remus said uncomfortably.

"Why didn't you just levitate her to the Hospital Wing?" Ron wanted to know, and, for the second time in fifteen minutes, Remus had homicidal tendencies towards one of his previously favourite students.

"Because, Ron," He said through gritted teeth.

"Was it because she might have broken a bone when she fell, and you didn't want to make it worse?" Ginny asked innocently, although the twinkle in her eye made Remus rather nervous.

"Yes, that was exactly why." He said quickly, grateful for Ginny's excuse. Ada smiled at him in a way that made his stomach feel slightly odd.

"Thank you." She said softly, "That was really nice of you. And you're wrong about anyone doing the same. Many would have just left me there and gotten Poppy. It was a smart move bringing me along; I should have hated to wake up all alone on the cold stone floor. Uh…" She paused, "Do you have any idea as to why I fainted? I don't remember."

"Er…no…" Remus lied, not really wanting to rehash over the whole 'I'm a werewolf' thing. From that comment, he guessed she'd only heard the 'poor child' part of his explanation to Hermione, Ginny, Ron, and Harry.

"Ah well." Ada shrugged, "Sorry about that. I haven't had a fainting fit for…well…I've never had one, not that I remember." She got up, swinging her legs out from beneath the covers, and standing.

"What are you doing?!" Hermione yelped as Ada grabbed her shoes from beneath the bed and buckled them onto her feet.

"I'm putting on my shoes, Hermione," Ada said patiently, a ghost of a smile on her face, "People tend to do that before walking on cold floor, prevents chilblains."

Hermione's cheeks flooded with colour.

Remus wasn't sure if it was from embarrassment, or anger. Then he caught the way her eyes narrowed. Definitely anger.

"You should stay in bed," Ginny said, a worried expression on her freckled face, "Madame Pomfrey-"

"Screw Poppy. I'm fine. Nothing wrong with me. Fit as a fiddle. And I am _not_ going to lie here in this bloody bed one moment longer. What I need is a nice long bath…" Ada trailed off as her face coloured once more.

Remus could feel himself blushing as well.

Ada bent her head over the bed, making it quickly, her hair forming a curtain that hid her face from view. "Would you like to have a look at those paintings now, Remus?" She asked, her voice once again unnaturally high.

"Yes, I would. We should probably go now, before Madame Pomfrey comes back." Remus said quickly, ignoring the looks that the Gryffindor Quartet was sharing.

* * *

Reviewer Response:

_JamieBell: _Yeah, it's called astral projection. It's a very big plot - shutting up now. Basically, your spirit disconnects from your body. Adeline takes it one step further, she can make herself solid. As for the pairing, I've seen worse than Harry/Tonks. How about Crookshanks/Cat!McGonagall. Or Dobby/Harry? Or, and I'm not lying, James/Harry? That was so gross. Necrophilia, pedophilia and incest.

_drop-depp-gorgeous: _I'm going to make a wild guess, and say you like Johnny Depp? How good would it have been if he'd played Sirius in the third movie? As for Remus, he is so a Brendan Fraser, I reckon. Ginny hated Adeline at first because she thought Adeline was after Harry.


	8. Chapter 7

**Demorior Mori Mortuus Amaris**

To die for love

_By Silver Sparklze_

* * *

****

**CHAPTER 7**

****

**For disclaimer see chapter 1**

****

Adeline led Remus to her room, and stroked the door gently, touching the small phoenix with reverence. "_Sui laid_." She whispered softly, and the door opened.

"What does the password mean?" Remus asked.

"Greetings." Adeline said briskly, leading him in. "I don't know what language it is in, but it's very nice. I wish I knew more of it than one phrase."

Remus nodded. "It certainly sounds very…elegant." He said, as if searching for the correct word.

"I know exactly what you mean. It's hard to find a word that will suit it, isn't it." Adeline agreed, walking over to the desk. She pulled open the top drawer, and took out the three pictures. "Here they are." She said quietly.

The third picture was one she'd painted a long time ago, when she was only ten. Because of that it had nowhere near the sophistication of the other two, with every colour as bright as possible. Harry's eyes were a brilliant green, his hair the darkest black she could find. It had amused her mum to no end to see Lily's hair coloured in with bright red crayon, and to see the blonde man's hair (in her mind he'd been a sandy, tawny blonde, rather like Remus) bright yellow. Remus picked that one up first.

"Who're these people?" He asked, pointing to the people in the picture.

It showed Lily and James holding Harry, with two other men huddling around him, the blonde handing him a toy he'd just dropped, and the dark-haired man being hit over the head with a rattle. In one corner of the picture was another man, who Adeline had drawn a dark purple circle around.

"Uh…that's Lily and James holding Harry…I think the blonde may be you," Adeline blushed, "But I don't know who the other two are. All I know is that I didn't like the one with the circle around."

"Ok." Remus said. "I think I know who the circled man is. I think that's Peter Pettigrew, one of my former best friends. And as for the man that's being hit in the head…that's another of my former best friends, but for a different reason. He's a former because he died. His name was Sirius Black."

"Oh…what did Peter do to merit no longer being your friend?" Adeline asked, "You strike me as a very loyal friend, faithful to the last breath. It must have been huge."

"I can't tell you." Remus said stiffly.

Adeline took a step away; hurt clearly showing on her face. "Oh. I understand."

"No, you don't. It's not really my story to tell. You should ask Harry. It's got to do with his parents."

"Oh." Adeline nodded, the flash of green making its way through her mind. She turned back to the pictures, and lifted the one of Harry and Lily off her bed. "This one's my favourite." She told Remus, handing it to him, "It reminds me of me and my mum, except my mum was the one with dark hair, and I was the one with red. My hair's darkened since I was this little. But my mum had dark skin too. She was African-American."

"But…how?"

Adeline knew Remus was confused as to how she could have such pale skin if her mother was African-American. Adeline smiled sadly. "I was adopted." She told Remus gently, "Illegally adopted. Twice. The first time…I don't know exactly what happened, but my adopted mother and father were killed by an animal. I watched it happen, I know that much. The second time around, Mum and Dad adopted me, and I've only ever known them. My birth mother died giving birth to me. At least, that's what I've been told." She sighed, running her hands through her hair.

"I was one of the lucky ones, I know. People like Harry…they didn't have it as easy as I did. I mean," Adeline shook her head, "Poor Harry."

"Yes, poor Harry. You know, you two are quite similar. Both orphans, who watched your parents die, neither one knowing about your connections to the Wizarding World until Albus informed you, albeit your informing was different from Harry's. Both of you hate Severus."

"Hard not to." Adeline said rather sharply.

Remus smiled sadly, "Not really." He said, "I knew someone who loved him very much."

"Loved?"

"She died in the First War against Voldemort."

"Oh…" Adeline looked sad, and she couldn't help but feel sorry for the crusty man whom irritated her so much. "Who was she?"

"Her name…" Remus paused; "She was a muggle-born. It was strange, actually. He got a huge crush on her during our fifth year. She was a Ravenclaw, but a really good friend of mine, quite adamantly good, but with the sharpest tongue imaginable. All in all, she wasn't very good at school, being far too caught up in smart-mouthing the teachers rather than actually answering any questions.

"I mean, she did the work outside of class, and would have gotten excellent marks if she ever bothered to hand it in on time, but she always waited until the last week of term, when the teachers had given up on getting _anything_ out of her, before handing it all in. She really, really pissed them off.

"Then only classes she ever actively participated in were Potions and Charms, although she usually at least listened in Defence Against the Dark Arts. It was when she was doing an extracurricular Potions assignment that she and Severus met for the first time. He snarled that she shouldn't be there, scrawny, mudblood that she was, and she told him to get over himself and to pull the broomstick out of his arse.

"Needless to say, Severus was shocked. No one other than James and Sirius had _ever_ spoken back to him, and not even _they_ had dared say something like _that_. They preferred to play nasty tricks on him. And here was a five foot muggle-born who didn't pay attention in class that he could probably crush like a bug exchanging insults with him.

"The thing that Severus didn't understand was that after that comment she was perfectly civil towards him, acting as if neither of them had said anything. Slowly, over the next semester, Severus and Linda – that was her name – saw each other more often. Every single time, Severus sneered at her, and called her names, but he never again called her a mudblood, and so she never again reacted to his teasing.

"Finally, Severus realised that he liked her. A lot. So he asked her out, and she accepted. They became inseparable, until…" Remus sighed, "Until Severus accepted the Dark Mark." Adeline gaped.

"Doesn't that mean he's a slave of this Voldemort dude?" She asked.

"Yes." Remus ran a hand through his hair, "He never meant for her to find out, but she caught him holding his arm one day, wincing, and so she reached out, and pulled up his sleeve. By then she was an advanced healer, and she'd probably been about to fix him up. Unfortunately, she didn't seem to like the tattoo. She dumped him on the spot, and stormed out of the Library. Severus was studying as the current Potions Master's apprentice, and Linda was studying as Madame Pomfrey's assistant.

"After that things went from bad, to worse. Linda would snap and snarl at him every time she met him, but, strangely, she never once told Albus. It was only after she'd been killed in the War that Albus found out Severus was a Death Eater. And it was only because Severus confessed it himself, and begged to be made a spy."

"Why didn't Linda tell?" Adeline asked. Remus shrugged,

"To this day no one knows. I suppose we could ask her."

"What?!" Adeline sat down on her bed, just missing the third picture, the one of Harry with Ginny, dancing.

"She's a ghost. Lives in the Forbidden Forest, in a cottage right in the middle." Remus explained.

"Does Severus know?"

"Of course not! Linda thinks he's still a Death Eater, and I haven't managed to get her to stop throwing things at me for long enough to tell her that he isn't." He grimaced.

"But she's a ghost! They can't do that, can they?"

"She's more than a ghost, she's a Quickesilver. That's a female poltergeist. She can throw anything she wants. She's solid."

"Oh!" Adeline vowed to never ever take up residence in the Wizarding World. It was _way_ too confusing.

* * *

Author's Notes: This is mainly just a filler chapter before the next one, a nice long Remus/Adeline piece with a dash of Severus thrown in. Shake twice and serve at room temperature

Reviewer Response:

_TheItalianBanjoist:_ So can you really play the banjo? Coz that'd be really cool. But no, ::laughs:: that's not what I'm here to do. Demorior Mori Mortuus Amaris means To Die For Love. Sorry, it's just the title. Not really anything significant. Thanks for the review, and I'm glad you like my story .

_Andy: _Lol, the Olympics have been cool to watch. Sorry, I'll try to segment it out more. Is this chapter any better?

_oOoLintuoOo: _Lol, I think I just like Brendan Fraser. But the guy who did play Remus did an excellent job, I'll agree with you there. I should be the one apologising, it's taken me ages to update.

_JamieBell: _Well you've found out now why it was so terrible that she fainted. A wolf killed her birth parents! At least…oh darn, if you hadn't then I've ruined it for you. Sorry o.O. I'm glad you like it so much. Isn't that always the way though. Just as you admit you think a guy's really cute, or when you're badmouthing your parents, they turn up behind you. Murphey's Law.


	9. Chapter 8

**Demorior Mori Mortuus Amaris**

_To die for love_

By Silver Sparklze

**CHAPTER 8**

**For disclaimer see chapter 1

* * *

**

"This picture's amazing," Remus said, tracing Lily's features with one hand. "You really are very good."

Adeline blushed. "Not really." She said, "I just do what my muse tells me to do. I have no control at all, really."

"Uh huh." Remus regarded her disbelievingly. "You just keep telling yourself that. One day, it might be true."

"Ooh, you!" Adeline grabbed one of her pillows, and smacked him in the face with it.

Remus regarded her in shock for a moment, before a huge grin came over his face, and he took out his wand. "You asked for it," He warned, before pointing at the pillows. "_Waddiwassi!_" He said, pointing at her.

Adeline shrieked, ducked, then grabbed on of the pillows and pelted it at him. She then ran out into the hall, ducking the pillows that followed her. One hit a blonde boy in the head, and he glared at her, the two bigger boys on either side of him cracking their knuckles.

"Watch it." He snarled.

"Sorry, not my fault." Adeline panted, pushing past him, grabbing the pillow, and throwing it back over her shoulder. The yell from behind her told her she'd been partially successful, in hitting _someone_. She tumbled forwards as something hit her. Her head hit the floor, and she rolled over, seeing stars. Strangely, this made her want to giggle, and so she did so, gazing at the ceiling, until the blonde boy and his friends came over. He was holding a wand, and he opened his mouth to say something. Adeline pushed herself up onto her elbows, and yelled. "Where are you, Remus, you great lump of cowardice? Can't even throw a pillow properly, you have to resort to magic!" She slumped back down to the floor, and giggled again.

"Er...are you...alright?" The blonde asked. He seemed very confused; perhaps he'd thought she was a student.

"Fine. Are you?" Adeline asked cheekily.

"What?"

"You should say pardon, not 'what'. You look a bit pale. The sun is good for you so long as you don't stay out in it too long." She said, sitting up, and pushing herself into a standing position.

"Like you can talk, Ada, look at your skin." Remus said, having come out into the corridor. There were feathers stuck in his hair, and he was leaning against Adeline's doorframe casually.

"Not my fault," Adeline shrugged, "I must have inherited my pigments off one of my parents."

"You're a very strange girl, Ada." Remus said. Both of them had forgotten about the boys.

"I prefer eccentric." Suddenly, they heard someone snort, and they turned to the blonde, who looked disgusted.

"Oh please." He muttered.

"What are you doing here, Mr. Malfoy?" Remus asked politely, although Adeline fancied there was an undercurrent of dislike in his voice.

"Nothing. What are _you_ doing here..._Professor_?" The boy sneered, his eyes flicking insolently over Remus' attire.

Adeline scowled. Suddenly, she didn't like this boy. "_We _live here. Therefore, we will turn up occasionally." She snapped. "Fancy that."

The boy flushed. "Who on earth do you think you are-" He began. Adeline cut him off.

"My name is Adeline Chandler. And I know who I am. However, I don't know who _you_ are. Care to enlighten me?"

"Draco Malfoy." He said proudly, lifting his chin like his name was supposed to mean something.

"Congratulations." Adeline replied sarcastically. Then she turned to Remus. "As a teacher, I can take points away as well as give them, correct?"

"Right." Remus grinned, "And Mr. Malfoy's in Slytherin, before you ask."

"Ok, then." Adeline turned back to Draco and smiled. "Twenty points from Slytherin for being rude to a teacher, and a further five for backtalk." She smiled at him sweetly. "And if you don't hurry back to your commons, I'll take another ten for being out of bounds."

Scowling, the boys stormed off.

Remus turned to Adeline, eyes wide. "Whoa," He said, "You sounded almost like Severus then."

Adeline shrugged, "I don't like him." She said, before hitting him over the head with a pillow. "And I am _never_ like Severus." She ran into her room.

* * *

Ginny pushed her evil, evil hair behind one ear. That was how she thought of it, as evil. It never did what it was told, always falling out of a braid the moment she tied it up, curling into tight kinks when wet, but stubbornly straight when dry. And a stupid colour, the colour of mud mixed with pale orange...something. Idly, without meaning to, her hand drifted to her mouth, and she bit the nail on her index finger, turning the page with her other hand.

"You shouldn't do that." A voice remarked.

Ginny jumped. "Sugar, Luna, don't _do_ that!" She marked her place, and turned to her friend, who was regarding her with sparkling silver eyes.

"Did I scare you?" Luna asked, flicking through _The Quibbler_.

"Yes. You scared the shit out of me." Ginny said honestly.

Harry, who'd been walking by caught Luna's eyes, and grinned. He raised a finger to his lips, and crept towards them.

"Sorry," Luna shrugged, "You were so immersed in your book of poetry that you didn't notice me, obviously. What is it this time?"

"A muggle author. Emily Browning." Ginny showed her the cover.

"Ah. She any good?" Luna flipped through the book but found nothing of interest in there. She wasn't very into poetry. Unlike Ginny, who practically _devoured _it. Luna managed to hide the tiny grin that was trying to take over her lips, as Harry grabbed Ginny by the shoulders. Ginny's loud shriek made the whole Library look at them, and Madame Pince glared.

"Merlin, Harry, don't _do_ that!" Ginny exclaimed as Harry sat down, sniggering.

"Why? It's so funny to hear you scream like that." Harry replied, his eyes full of laughter, something that was not seen often these days.

"Wow, look at the time, must be going. Colin and I have a date in Hogsmeade." Luna fled.

Ginny watched her best friend leave, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"Luna and Colin, when did that happen?" Harry asked; tipping his chair back and resting his feet on the table, his chair supported by the wall.

Ginny noticed that Madame Pince looked like she was going to explode. "Well, a couple of months ago when Colin, Luna and I were in Hogsmeade, we got around to talking about cameras. It turns out Luna has a bit of a thing for them, cameras, I mean, and she and Colin were soon nattering away, leaving me feeling a bit left out. Luckily, I had a poetry book." Ginny shrugged, and Harry snorted. "Anyway, Luna came back with us to the Tower to 'look at Colin's photography equipment'. I found them snogging in the Common Room at two am."

"Oh. So Luna's only interested in Colin's 'cameras'." Harry added heavy emphasis to cameras.

Ginny giggled "Quite." She agreed, before hitting him over the head with her poetry book and racing out of the Library.

* * *

_oOoLintuoOo:_ I'm glad you like it. But no, they won't see her. She's just a cameo. Brendan Fraser's in The Mummy.

_tomato-can: _Here's the next chapter .

_TheItalianBanjoist: _Cool. Alas, I can't play any instruments. ::sigh::. Ah well. The title's in Latin. Yes, she's quite a bit younger than Remus, being only three years older than Harry. But in my little dream world, Werewolves have super-healing, like, not for little things, but for big things, so Remus is going to live for quite a while. At least Adeline will be able to keep up with him somewhat. And besides, it's not how old you _are_, it's how old you _feel_ that counts.

_elvinscarf:_ Thanks.

_Andy:_ Yes, I finally updated. And you're welcome. Here's the next chapter.

_AN:_ Once again, mostly a filler. But the action is coming, I promise. I just have to establish the characters.


	10. Chapter 9

**Demorior Mori Mortuus Amaris**

_To die for love_

By Silver Sparklze

**  
CHAPTER 9**

**For disclaimer see chapter 1**

* * *

Six weeks later, Adeline had really begun to settle in. she knew her way around the castle, and it had been almost a week since she'd been lost. She and Remus were god friends, too, and she was almost getting to the point where she could look him in the eye without blushing. Since that day when she'd fainted, Remus had seemed a bit awkward around her, though. And he refused to tell her his secret.

Adeline laughed out loud at the end of a Gryffindor third year's essay. He'd ended his essay on 'Zoos are _not_ wildlife parks, discuss' with; _Personally…I would build a gremlin trap…bait it with dirty socks or something…then you could sell them to the zoo…I would go to the zoo to see gremlins._ She shook her head, and gave Mikelle Tubeta an 'A'. All in all, it had been a good essay, so why not?

_'Interesting conclusion,'_ She wrote, _'I can't wait to hear exactly how you believe it fits in with the topic.'_ Satisfied that she was through marking essays, she took out her sketchbook and waited for the students to arrive.

Adeline was still filling in the details of Ginny's hair when the sixth years arrived. She continued, ignoring the whispers of the students, who seemed to be getting quite restless. Finally, when a paper plane hit the wall behind her, she spoke.

"Patience is a virtue, you know."

The students fell silent. All except for the Slytherin. "Well, you're supposed to be teaching us." Marc Benson (that was his name) said.

Adeline looked at him sternly. "I was. None of you were patient enough to wait until I was finished. I was trying to instill patience into you. You won't always know what's happening straight away. A Dark Wizard is just as likely to take a long time in attacking you as I am."

The students drew back, and she laughed. "Don't be silly," She chided, "As if I would attack you. I was going to say, as I am likely to take a long time teaching you. Now if you'll turn to page twenty-seven, we'll begin. Muggles have many religions, perhaps the most popular being Christianity…"

Luna twirled some of her blonde hair, not listening to Miss Chandler. She stared out the window, daydreaming of being outside. It was so nice and wet out there. She'd never told anyone, but she still loved to jump in puddles, even though she was sixteen. She loved going outside after a thunderstorm and jumping in every puddle she could find. It could entertain her for hours.

"Luna?"

Luna looked up, and saw Miss Chandler looking at her.

"What's the answer, Luna?"

Luna turned to Ginny, who pointed to her page. Luna's exceptionally good vision scanned the page on Paganism quickly. "I'm sorry, Miss, what was the question?" She asked.

"Name a type of Paganism, and explain it." Miss Chandler said patiently.

"Uh…Wicca. Wicca is witchcraft, specifically natural witchcraft. The muggles use their imaginations, as well as well-known herbal remedies. They also make love-potions, and many other types of potions. They had wands, just as we do, and say spells, just as we do. They also might do evil, same as we do. Essentially, they are witches like us, but without the magical powers." Luna rattled off.

"Very good, Luna. Ten points to Ravenclaw."

* * *

Remus stared at the drawing of him with Lily, James, Harry, Sirius and Peter. Without meaning to, he remembered the day when he had seen something like this.

* * *

_Remus knocked on his best friend James' front door, and was answered by a rather frazzled looking Lily. She smiled at him warmly._

_"Remus," She said, pulling him inside, "Hi. I'm glad you're here. Sirius and James are fighting over what to put in the picnic basket, and I need you to distract them. Harry's beginning to teeth, and the childish way his father and godfather are acting is not helping. He's in a really crabby mood."_

_"Poor Lily-kins." Remus teased, "You should have thought twice before agreeing to marry James."_

_"Shut your trap and entertain those two monsters before I make your transformations seem like a kiss on the cheek." Lily said, a small smile on her face. Remus gasped in mock horror before walking into the kitchen, where, sure enough, he found James and Sirius arguing over whether they should have pork of beef._

_"'Lo, Padfoot, Prongs." He said offhandedly. They stopped their argument, and even Harry stopped wailing. His green eyes lit up when he saw Remus, and he held out his arms._

_"Mooey, Mooey!" He cried. Remus went over to the highchair and picked him up._

_"Hows my favourite little honorary nephew?" He asked, hugging the little boy. Harry giggled._

_"Flump." He replied._

_"Is that so? Are Daddy and Uncle Padfoot annoying you, Harry?" Harry nodded, shooting accusatory glances at his father and godfather, who had the grace to look abashed. "Do your teeth hurt?" Harry nodded again, his lower lip trembling pathetically. Remus sighed. The little monster had them all wrapped around his little finger. The minute he began to cry they were all waiting to do his bidding. Except for Peter, but Peter had grown up with two younger sisters and a younger brother, so it wasn't that surprising that he'd be immune._

_Remus frowned at that. Peter had been rather distant of late, and it had taken a lot of coaxing for him to agree to come on this little picnic. "Don't cry, Harry." He said, taking out his wand. "Acerbitas __abeoireitum alsiusaum__." He said. Harry's mouth was encased by a soft blue glow, which quickly relieved him of the pain. Harry gurgled happily, and Lily smiled at Remus gratefully._

_"Now why didn't I think of that?" She asked, taking Harry off Remus. "I'll go feed him now. Why don't you pack the turkey into the basket, Remus?"_

_"Yes, your ladyship." Remus said, grinning. He ignored Sirius and James, who were trying to convince him to slip beef 'no, pork!' into the picnic hamper._

_The park was sunny, and the Indian summer heat was pleasant. Remus played with Harry on the picnic blanket while Peter wrote his Cauldron Thickness report, and Sirius and James had a fight with the French breadsticks. Lily was laughing at their antics, and was almost hysterical by the time James finished enacting his dramatic death by bakery goods._

_James and Sirius flopped down on the picnic blanket, James sitting behind Lily and giving her a shoulder massage, while Sirius sat next to Harry on the other side of Remus. Harry, who'd been gumming on his rattle, took it out of his mouth and smiled at Sirius angelically. Sirius smiled back at him, and ruffled his hair, lying back on the blanket. Harry chose that moment to hit Sirius over the head with his rattle._

_"Ow! Geez, kid, that hurt!" Sirius complained, touching his forehead gingerly. Remus laughed. "Don't laugh, Remus!"_

* * *

"Remus?" Remus jumped, brought out of his daze by Ada calling his name. He smiled at her. The sun was streaming in through the open door behind her, causing her dark red hair to fairly glow like a fiery halo."Sorry, I was daydreaming, did you say something?"

"Yeah. Are you planning to eat dinner today?"

Remus looked at the clock on the wall, which was pointing to 'Dinner would be nice'. He cursed, Ada looking on, amused.

"Nice language. Do you always speak like that in front of a lady?" She asked.

"Are you always under the misconception that you're a lady?" Remus shot back.

Ada poked her tongue out at him. "Careful. Unless you want to engage in another pillow war, I'd be nice." _  
_

_I'd like to engage in other things involving pillows with you._ Remus thought, then blushed. _Bad Remus! She'd never like you anyway! You walked in on her when she was having a bath, then you find out she's afraid of wolves, and practically kill her by admitting you're a werewolf, and now you're swearing like a sailor in front of her! _"I beg your forgiveness, Duchess." He said, grinning at her.

"You are forgiven." Ada said, looking down her nose at him, looking for all the world like a haughty aristocrat. A moment later, the illusion collapsed, as she giggled. They walked down to dinner.

* * *

**Acerbitas ****abeoireitum alsiusaum: **Pain, disappear, numb.

**IE; a spell to rid a baby of the pains of teething.  
**

Kathryn Black: Thanks, I'm glad you like it.

Emma Watson Rules: Here's the next chapter, then.


	11. Chapter 10

**Demorior Mori Mortuus Amaris**

_To die for love_

By Silver Sparklze

**CHAPTER 10**

* * *

**See chapter 1 for disclaimer**

**Thanks to all my reviewers. Sorry this has taken so long, I've been very busy and uninspired.

* * *

**

"Ginny," Harry began; leading her to look up from the book she was reading. She smiled at Harry warmly, causing his whole body to heat up, almost as if he'd just drunk a case of butterbeer.

"Yes, Harry?" Ginny asked, marking her place.

"What happened to Luna? The Luna I knew two years ago…" Harry trailed off, unsure how to communicate his thoughts.

"Was different?" Harry nodded. "Well, Harry, I'm afraid there's a rather simple explanation for that." Ginny sighed, looking sad.

"What?" Harry queried, not liking the look on Ginny's face.

"She grew up."

"Oh. Is that all?" Harry felt some small measure of relief. He'd been sure it was something more serious from Ginny's melancholy expression. He flinched when Ginny turned on him, eyes flashing.

"Yes, that is _all_. And contrary to what you might think, Harry, Luna's 'growing up', as I described it is not a good thing. She watched her next-door neighbours being tortured for withholding information that the Death Eaters needed. She watched the _two year old_ that she was baby-sitting in the park be killed for simply being related to said neighbours. She underwent the _Cruciatus_ and _Imperius _curses when she refused to get out of the way of the child. Seems the Death Eaters had orders only to kill the kid, no one else. So, no, her 'growing up' is _not_ a good thing, it is a terrible, terrible thing that should never have happened!" Ginny was crying by this time, and Harry carefully, and rather awkwardly, placed his arms around her, rocking her backwards and forwards.

"Shh…" Harry said, "Don't cry. Luna's fine. She's a very strong girl. You can see it in the way she acts. Even if she does think there are Purple–Horned Ferinusaums living in the Forbidden Forest." Ginny giggled, a sound which sounded more like a hiccup, and, without any unease, burrowed her way further into Harry's arms.

"Yeah," She said, her voice slightly muffled as it travelled through Harry's robes, "She does, doesn't she."

* * *

"Luna?" Luna turned around and saw Miss Chandler. She smiled politely. 

"Yes, Miss Chandler?" She asked.

"Please, outside of class, call me Adeline." Miss Chandler requested.

"Ok."

"Great. Uh…is there something wrong? It's just…you weren't really paying attention in class today…"

"I'm fine." Luna said, almost automatically. She'd said it so many times, to so many different people, that the words had lost all meaning. Adeline raised an eyebrow.

"Uh huh." She said, "Now tell me the truth." Luna didn't know what happened, but something suddenly snapped, and she began to rant and rave.

"IT'S NOT FAIR!!!" She yelled, "ANDY WAS ONLY TWO YEARS OLD!!! HE SHOULDN'T HAVE DIED!!!" She burst into tears, and Adeline gently took her arm and led her into an interesting room. She was pretty sure she'd seen it before, but it looked different now, there were couches everywhere, and a desk with what looked like a muggle tape player on it.

Adeline and Luna headed for one of the couches, and Luna slowly finished crying, and began to blush. "Sorry," She said.

"Why? You've got nothing to be ashamed of. That sounds like it's been festering away at you for quite a while. Why don't you tell me the whole story?"

"I can't." Luna whispered.

"Yes you can. Look," Adeline forced Luna to look at her, grabbing her chin and holding it up. "I wanted to be a counsellor, and even took a course in psychology, as well as doing my Arts Degree. You can tell me anything, and I swear, on pain of death, that it won't go past this room."

"Promise?" Luna asked softly.

"Promise." Adeline affirmed. "So why don't you spill? You'll feel better for it." And so, crying the whole while, Luna told Adeline all about babysitting for the McKenzie's, and how the Death Eaters had arrived while she was in the backyard, and so she'd had to watch by the window as they killed her life-long neighbours, and her mother's former friends. By the time the Aurors (who she'd summoned) had gotten there, it had been too late, and only baby Andy, who'd been asleep upstairs, had been left alive. Luna had taken him out to the park, and they'd been attacked there, two Death Eaters restraining Luna, and then disapparating after Andy was dead, leaving Luna to take care of the mess.

* * *

Adeline listened to what Luna was saying, stunned. How could anyone be so cruel?! She reached out and gave Luna a one-armed hug. Luna had begun to cry again, and Adeline let her, staying with her even though they were both missing out on their afternoon classes. Mentally, Adeline shrugged. Let the kids run wild. This was far more important as far as she was concerned. Finally, Luna stopped, hiccuping the whole time. 

"S-sorry." Luna said again. Hiccup

"Look," Adeline rubbed Luna's arm soothingly. "As I said before, you have absolutely nothing to be sorry about. It's been poisoning you for a long time, am I right?" Luna nodded. Hiccup "Well, then there's nothing for you to be sorry about." Luna nodded; looking surprised, which Adeline wouldn't have thought was possible, since she always looked surprised. "And may I ask something?"

"Sure." Hiccup

"Do you always wear a necklace made out of bottle-caps?" Luna giggled, and Adeline smiled. "I think you'd better get to class. What have you got?"

"Potions." Luna grimaced, "Professor hiccup Snape is gonna hiccup freak."

"Oh don't you worry," Adeline's smile turned into a fully-fledged grin, tinged with mischief, "I'll come and speak to him _personally_." 


	12. Chapter 11

**Demorior Mori Mortuus Amaris**  
_To die for love_  
By Silver Sparklze

**CHAPTER 11**

**See chapter 1 for disclaimer**

Adeline waited until Luna had gone into the Potions class, indeed, waited until Severus had begun his tirade regarding her lateness, before she walked in. "Ah, good, you're here, Severus." She said, smiling smoothly. "I hope you don't mind that Luna was late, she was helping me."

"Actually, I _do_ mind." Severus seethed, "She's missed most of a very important lesson."

Adeline shrugged elegantly. "Her help was unavoidable, and the matter needed to be attended to immediately. If I could have delayed it I would have, believe me." She shuddered slightly, lip curling, all the while portraying the opposite to Luna with her eyes. Luna smiled gratefully, obviously knowing what Adeline was trying to do.

"Of course. After all, you wouldn't want to be doing anything _unpleasant_." Severus sneered.

Adeline's face darkened. "Right," She said quietly, but the whole class could see the dangerous expression, "I've had just about enough of your spiteful cynical attitude. Luna and I were busy; get over it. And if I hear one inkling of you having taken points of her for being late, I'll take this to Albus." She left the room in a swirl of dark brown robes, leaving a rather frightened and flabbergasted class behind her.

* * *

Adeline headed for her own class, giggling slightly. She stood in the doorway, watching the students laugh and throw things at each other good-naturedly. But her eyes darkened when she saw the two boys fighting in the corner. She stormed in, grabbed them both by the back of their robes, and yanked them apart with more strength than she realised she had. 

"How are you," She hissed. "Just because I am not in the room, that does _not_ mean that you can fight. Detention for both of you for a month. With me. And fifty points from Ravenclaw and Gryffindor."

Both boys began to protest, but she shook them roughly, silencing their objections.

"One more word and it'll be a hundred and two months." She snapped. "Now, we're going to visit Professor Dumbledore." She turned to the rest of the class, "If I come back and catch _anyone_ breaking either my rules, or the school's, I'll have you in detention for the rest of the year, and I'll take so many points away from your house, you'll have no chance of winning the Cup..._ever_."

She glanced around at the shocked class, and led the two boys out, both looking far worse for wear than they had even straight after the fight.

* * *

Adeline paced her bedroom, feeling angrier than she'd ever felt before in her entire life. There was something about the two boy's fighting that had touched a nerve deep inside her, and she'd just snapped.

"Ada?"

Adeline turned around and grinned at Remus. "Hey, Rem." She replied, signing the detention slips with a flourish.

"I heard you went a bit psycho in class today." Remus was still leaning against the doorframe, so Adeline gestured for him to move inside. "What happened?"

"Two boys were fighting." She growled, glaring at the wall, "But I doubt they'll do it again, whether I'm in the classroom or not."

"But Adeline, you've forgotten something. They'll just look out for you." Remus said.

Adeline grinned. "Already thought of that." She said, "See this painting?" She held up a painting of a waterlily-covered lake, painted by Monet.

Remus nodded. "What about it?" He asked.

"Well, it's connected to the painting of a school in my classroom. Therefore, if I carry this around with me, I can pop into my classroom at _any_ time." Her grin widened.

"Smart." Remus said approvingly.

"Remus," Adeline said in a wheedling voice, "What's your big secret? I've been here for ages now. Why can't you tell me?"

"I'll tell you tomorrow." Remus promised.

* * *

The next day, Adeline woke up from a particularly horrible nightmare about Harry's parents. She shivered, although it was quite warm in the room, rubbing her arms lightly.

"Today is _not_ going to be a good day." She muttered, a sense of foreboding falling over her like a heavy cloak. She stalked out of the room, and straight into Remus, causing him to drop the towel and pyjamas that he'd been holding.

Adeline picked them up, boxers with little snitches on them, and a black t-shirt with _Careful; I bite_ written on it in silver. She handed them back to Remus, one eyebrow quirking in amusement, all thoughts of danger forgotten. He blushed scarlet.

"Shut up." He muttered.

"Oh, I'm not going to say a _thing_." Adeline replied gaily. "But I happen to remember that a certain someone was going to tell me a rather big secret today."

"I'll tell you after breakfast." Remus promised.

Adeline nodded. "Ok." She sighed, "Full moon tonight."

Remus froze. "Oh?" He said, rather warily.

Adeline nodded. "Yeah. I _hate_ the full moon."

"Why?"

"My first lot of parents died on a full moon. So I hate it. Reminds me of wolves, and stinking hot breath, and pain."

"You don't like wolves?" Remus asked.

"Not really. It's odd; I love dogs. But wolves...wolves are too frightening."

"I guess I can understand that." Remus said quietly.

Adeline couldn't help but wonder at the look on his face. "Well, see you at breakfast." She walked down the hall, humming cheerfully.

* * *

Bellatrix smirked, a strange glint in her eyes. The mudblood would pay, in her own blood, for Master's needs. She would be used, then cast aside, as a mudblood should. This was the perfect time.

Her lip curled. The blasted creature had been protected better than she'd known. The stupid wolf loved her, and his possessiveness stopped them from getting too close most of the time.

But 'twas the full moon, and the idiotic beast had more important things to worry about. The wolf was growing stronger, and the man was fading.

It had been a full moon the Potter Massacre Halloween too, and if it hadn't been for that freakish green-eyed brat, Master would have found the Karickin girl before now, and His Lordship's domain would already have been in action.

Bellatrix took out her wand, and crept up behind the little chit. A wand to the forehead, a _stupefy_ charm, and she was ready to leave, with an unconscious mudblood next to her...

* * *

_Alicia:_ Thanks for the review, I'm so glad you like DMMA. It's one of my favourite stories to write, because I enjoy writing such a different perspective. Here's the next chapter. 


	13. Chapter 12

**Demorior Mori Mortuus Amaris**  
_To die for love_  
By Silver Sparklze

**CHAPTER 12**

**See chapter 1 for disclaimer**

Remus frowned, tapping his foot. Ada should have been here by now; she was hardly ever late. He took out the Map, and tapped it gently. _"I solemnly swear I am up to no good."_ He said softly. He searched the map quickly, but while he found an Adelaide Chastise, an Abigail Collins, and an Adrielle Cinder, he found no Adeline Chandler. He decided to go talk to the terrible two; Harry and Ginny. They knew the castle as well, and, sometimes Remus suspected, better, than he.

Luckily, he had Luna Lovegood for DADA next, so she could pass on a message to Ginny for him. He headed to his classroom, and was pleased to see Luna already there, reading the latest Quibbler upside down. "Miss Lovegood?" He prompted.

"Hmm?" The blonde haired girl raised dreamy silver eyes to his amber ones; she didn't quite look like she was on planet Earth.

"I was wondering if you could pass on a message to your friend Ginny?"

"Whatever."

Remus took that for a yes.

"Fantastic. Tell her the wolf hunts the fox and the collie for his midday meal."

"Righto. So you want Ginny and Harry to meet you at lunch?" Luna asked.

"How did you know?" Remus asked, astonished.

"Rather obvious." Luna rolled her eyes, and returned to her magazine.

"Ok. Well, going to come in?" Remus asked, opening the door.

"Whatever." Luna walked in, nose still stuck in her upside down rag.

* * *

Adeline groaned as she awoke. She had a terrible headache. Closing her eyes, she let herself free from her body, something that she'd practiced almost obsessively until it was perfect.

_She focused on remaining unseen, and felt the almost imperceptible ripple in the air that was her usually latent magic helping her, the magic which she could only control while out of her body._

_She gagged as she hit a particularly pungent wisp of magic that not only had a disgusting odour but a rotten colour as well. A dark khaki green mixed with black-blue and green-purple, it repelled Adeline completely._

_Still, it was drawing her nearer, wrapping around her soul like an affectionate kitten. She struggled to get rid of the clammy foul smelling tendrils, but to no avail. In fact, it was practically purring. She ceased her struggle, and was at once in another room._

_A man with chalky skin and glowing red eyes was sitting on a throne idly caressing a lime green snake as a woman with shifty heavy lidded dark eyes spoke to him reverently._

_"The plan is in place, Master," She said, "All that must be done now is to bring the beast. I think we should wait another hour or two, until just before the moon rises."_

_"No, Bellatrix." The man said, a slow smirk spreading across his features, "I believe we should get him now. After all, the poor, poor man must be absolutely frantic about his little Karickin girl. This way he can rest easy, knowing she's in our capable hands."_

_"My lord, not to question you or anything, but what happens if the wolf kills the mudblood?"_

_"Don't worry, he won't. I put wards on the chit while she was unconscious; when the werewolf's transformed he won't be able to touch her."_

_"Very good, M'lord. You thought of everything." Bellatrix grovelled._

_Adeline snorted. "Oh, please." She muttered, then froze, drawing back into the shadows as the man and Bellatrix looked up._

_"Did you hear that, M'lord?" She asked in a quavering voice._

_"Yes, I did, Bellatrix. There's someone here. Nagini, go find them."_

_The snake slithered around the room, eventually coming to a halt in front of Adeline._

_"Is there something there, my precious?" The man asked._

_Adeline stifled a snort, remembering a particular phrase from her favourite trilogy. She knelt down until she was at eye level with the snake, then reached out, and poked it in the eyes._

_Hissing indignantly, it moved away._

_"What happened, my dear?" The man asked, waving his wand at the same time. A strange hissing voice filled the room_

_**Sssomthing isss not right/good/correct.** It said. **There isss sssomthing sstrange/odd/different here/there/everwhere. Sssomthing hurt my eyessss…but it isss not vissssible/notisssiable/ssseen.**_

_**Very well.** The man said, a hissing sound coming out of his mouth, before being translated by whatever spell he'd cast. **You must search/look/find the source of the strangeness/oddness/difference. I will see you later.**_

_Nagini nodded her had, and slithered out of the room._

At that moment, Adeline felt something akin to a vacuum cleaner being placed against her forehead, and she opened her eyes to find herself back in her body.

"Wake up, my dear." The man's voice said.

Adeline sat up slowly. "Wh-who a-are y-you?" She stammered, although she had some inkling.

"Why, how can it be that you do not know me?" His red eyes gleamed sinisterly. "I, my dear, am Lord Voldemort."

"Oh. Ok. Nice to meet you. Say, your name's kinda long, do you have a nickname or something?" She asked, trying to sound totally oblivious. She felt rather like throwing up with how phony she sounded.

"Did you not hear me?" Voldemort asked, "I am Lord Voldemort."

"Yeah, I heard." Adeline gazed at her nails in a rather bored manner, although she was trembling inside. She'd become a rather good actor over the years.

"Well, doesn't that _mean_ something to you?" Voldemort said, sounding rather stunned and upset.

"Sorry, no. I do remember Albus and Remus talking about some dude named Tom who was supposed to be evil, but the way they spoke about him put me in mind of a little kid stealing sweets, so I didn't really worry about it."

"WHAT?!" Voldemort bellowed.

"Jeez, dude, can you go easy on the yelling? My ears are rather sensitive you know." Adeline complained in a whiny voice.

"Well," Voldemort said, struggling to control himself, something that amused Adeline greatly. She'd already figured out that Voldemort pretty much relied on the fear he could strike in witches and wizards.

He relished it, and lived on it as much as he did food and air. But because she'd been raised as a muggle, and, was, in fact, one, she didn't feel more than a vague sense of fear, and an overwhelming hatred. Therefore, she could be a brat as much as she liked. Her defence mechanism, of sorts.

"Well," Voldemort repeated, "Since you don't know who I am, you should have no qualms about telling me what I want to know."

"Oops. Sorry dude, can't. Love to, but can't. Ya see, Albus pressed upon me the importance of revealing nothing, so..." She trailed off, shrugging.

"Well, if you won't give it willingly, you'll give it unwillingly. _Imperio._"

Adeline looked at him in confusion. "What's that supposed to do?" She asked. She'd felt something rather like a niggle at the back of her mind, but it was gone now.

"Tell me how to get past the defence wards at Hogwarts." Voldemort commanded.

"You know I can't, dude. I already told you I can't." Adeline said.

"What?! How can Imperius have no effect?!" Voldemort asked.

"I dunno. What is it and I'll tell you?"

"Fine," Voldemort said through clenched teeth. "Fine. I'll do it another way. _Crucio!_"

Adeline opened her mouth and screamed. Her soul struggled to be free of the confines of painful flesh, and easily did so, the pain too much for it to bear.

_Soul-Adeline watched in interest as her body writhed on the ground, no sound coming from her mouth, open in a silent shriek. The pale skin was flushed, sweat pouring down her face, and Soul-Adeline couldn't help but wonder why she had to stay. She could see the fine silvery thread connecting her soul to her body, but why not sever it, and drift away to do what she willed? It would not take much._

_"No, child." A soft voice said._

_Astonished, Soul-Adeline turned around, and saw Lily and James. "What? What do you want? What do you mean?" Soul-Adeline asked._

_"You mustn't break the connection." James said, "You can't die."_

_"Who said anything about dying? I just want to be free. Why should I have to deal with this? This isn't even my world!"_

_"Addie, you're wrong," Lily said, "This is your world."_

_"I'm a muggle!"_

_"No you're not. You're a Karickin. And though your magical power is latent, it is still there. And one day you will be able to tap into it. But you have to fight. You're needed to win the war."_

_Soul-Adeline felt a sharp pull, almost as if someone had grabbed her silver-thread, and jerked on it. "What was that?!" She cried._

_"That was the pull of your soul-mate. He cannot live without you. You mustn't die, if only to save his life."_

_"But why can't I leave?" Soul-Adeline wailed._

_"Because you are still needed." Lily said firmly, coming over to the younger girl and hugging her gently. "You're growing up," She said, "Soon you will be older than James and I. The last time I saw you, you were only three."_

_"You remember?!" Soul-Adeline asked in surprise._

_"Of course. At first, well, when I started to think again, I thought it had been an illusion. But then I met your Ma, your Grandmama, and your Great-Grandmama, going back many generations. They told me everything. That's another reason why you can't die, Addie; you have to continue on the Karickin Line. Your family will never forgive you if you don't."_

_"Fine." Soul-Adeline said sulkily, "Fine."_

_"Oh, and Addie?"_

_Soul-Adeline looked up into Lily's sad eyes, full of tears, and Lily backed away to stand next to James, the latter putting his arm around the former comfortingly. "Yeah?" Soul-Adeline asked._

_"Tell Harry that we love him." Lily whispered, tears falling down her face._

_"Alright." _

Soul-Adeline flew back into her body, just in time for Voldemort to take the spell off.

"That was interesting." Voldemort said musingly, "You seem to have lost your voice."

Adeline glared up at him from her place on the floor, russet hair falling over her grey eyes. She didn't speak.

"Well, must leave. Need to welcome your werewolf friend." He laughed as Adeline's eyes widened in horror at the word 'werewolf'. "Yes, indeed. And you know this particular werewolf. I'm sure you two will have a wonderful time this evening." He swept out. "Oh, and just so you know? I did place a charm on you so the wolf could not touch you, but since you refuse to tell me what I need to know..._Finite Incantatum._" He chuckled, "Hope you and Lupin have a lovely date." He swept out just as Remus was thrown in.

* * *

_Evil Penguin Slayer: _This soon enough for you? Thanks for the review.

_JamieBell:_ Here's the update. I know last chapter was rather short, but I'm in a rush to finish this before Christmas as a Chrissy present.


	14. Chapter 13

**Demorior Mori Mortuus Amaris**  
_To die for love_  
By Silver Sparklze

**CHAPTER 13**

**See chapter 1 for disclaimer**

Remus looked up, astonished to see he had a companion. He gulped when he saw it was Ada. _She looks different_, he realised. And she did. Her mouth was set in a small grimace, like she was in some pain that she didn't want to admit, and she was all huddled up, chin resting on her knees, red hair falling out of its plait and touching the dusty floor.

"Ada?" He asked, "Are you ok?"

She looked up at him with strange eyes, grey, but bottomless and devoid of all expression. Slowly, she nodded.

"Why aren't you talking?" He reached out to touch her arm, and she flinched away. Remus' hand fell to the ground, and he looked at her, confused and hurt.

Her face softened, and she unfolded herself, walking over to him and sitting down next to him, leaning her head against his shoulder and sighing.

Remus was astonished to find bruises all over her body, especially on her face, as though she'd had convulsions. A sudden thought occurred to him. "They used the Cruciuatus Curse on you, didn't they?"

Ada nodded slowly.

"Oh, Merlin." He hugged her gently, all inhibitions forgotten. "Are you alright?"

She nodded again, leaning into his embrace.

Something had changed; Remus knew it. There was a strange look in her eyes, of one who had travelled too far, and seen too much. "No you're not." He contradicted her, "You probably never will be."

Ada looked at him in surprise.

"Ada," Remus began, biting his lip.

He had to tell her, had to reveal to her his curse. The one that would definitely kill her. "I am a werewolf." The look she gave him told him she knew, and she didn't care. "I don't think you understand, Ada, werewolves hate humans. They kill any human around them. Only animals are safe. And tonight's the full moon."

Still, Ada didn't look scared. "I know," She said softly, and even her voice was different, less cheerful. "But don't worry. It's not my destiny to die tonight."

Remus looked at her in astonishment. "How can you know that?" He asked. "You aren't a Seer...are you?"

"No. Lily told me." Ada had a strange, peaceful smile on her face.

"Lily who?"

"Evans-Potter."

"Ada...Lily's...well...dead."

"I know. I saw her when I was under the Cruciatus Curse. You see, I astral projected – of sorts – actually; it was more like my soul just escaped my body. Anyway, I was going to sever the line keeping my soul attached to my body, but Lily and James told me not to.

"Lily said I couldn't die yet; it wasn't my time. Then she said to tell Harry that she and James loved him."

"That sounds like Lily," Remus admitted, "Even while telling you that you couldn't die yet, she remembers her son. It was always like that. Although not when we were at school. Then it was 'what would the younger students think?' She was an amusing girl, and so sweet...most of the time."

Ada smiled, but it was only a ghost of her usual grin. "It's almost time." She said simply.

Remus looked at the small window, and felt the change come over him.

He howled, half himself, and half the Wolf, pain filling his entire body. There was the terrible sound of his bones twisting and rearranging, his spine arching and bending into a different shape, his fingers growing stubby, and the nails turning black and pointed. His face bulged out, becoming a more triangular shape, and his eyes slanted back, ears sliding to the top of his head.

Finally, the transformation was complete. His clothing was on the ground in shreds, but it wasn't his clothing anymore  
.  
He raised his head, and howled. Then he growled, scenting human. _Let me eat/rip/tear._ Wolf mind begged. Only a small amount of humanity remained. He hadn't taken the wolfsbane potion today, so he wasn't tame.

The girl walked over, and stroked him gently, murmuring comforting words in a strange language. **_"Tiænka mĭt scaĺin aŕsŧ. Mĭt ŉatī heřyŁ ŋai."_**_ You need not be afraid of me. I mean no harm._

For some inexplicable reason, the words calmed him, and he sighed gently, submitting to the girl's gentle caresses...

* * *

Adeline stared at the slumbering wolf in shock. Remus was practically purring! If he'd been a werecat, she was sure he'd have been. For some strange reason, her fear of wolves had completely vanished when she'd seen the pain that Remus was going through.

She wondered where that strange language had come from. It had burst from her mouth before she realised, and, although it had calmed the wolf, it was spoken in some voice unlike, yet like her own.

Adeline shrugged, and simply went back to petting the wolf, still murmuring the comforting words under her breath.

She'd seen the scars all over his chest, and his back, and her heart ached for him. Worst was the large one on his shoulder. She gently ran her hand over his shoulder, and he growled once, in his sleep, then not at all.

In fact, he rolled over onto his belly, and she scratched it gently. Then, she lay down, her head on Remus' shoulder, and went to sleep.

* * *

The next morning Remus awoke slowly, not knowing what he was going to find. He certainly didn't expect to find himself naked, with Ada lying pretty much full length over him. Her head rested on his chest and her hands were twined in his shoulder length hair. She muttered softly in her sleep, in a strange language he had heard before, but he couldn't remember where or when. All he knew was that the words she said comforted the Wolf, and that the pain he usually felt after a transformation was strangely absent. 

She stirred, and Remus became more aware of his body's reaction to her, even if it was cold. He got up and laid her on the floor as gently as possible, going over to one corner where his cloak lay in a crumpled heap, and pulling it on. Ada woke up, and looked around her, obviously disorientated.

**_"WЋan mĭt tέyi?"_** She asked.

"What?" Remus said.

"Sorry...where am I?"

"You know where you are." Remus replied gently.

Ada sighed, and sat up, taking off her robe to reveal the short skirt and pristine white blouse. "Yes, I do. But I'd hoped I was wrong."

"Well, I hate to tell you, but you weren't."

Suddenly, Ada squeaked, and hid her face in her hands, ears going bright red.

"What? What's wrong?" Remus asked in concern.

"You don't have any clothes on." Ada said; her voice muffled by her hands.

"I know. That's because they shredded when I transformed." Remus told her.

"Well, I'll get some for you." And with that, Ada closed her eyes, swayed on her feet, and fell to the ground.

Only Remus' fast reflexes stopped her form hitting her head on the stone floor.

* * *

Adeline walked through the strange hall outside the dungeon her body was locked in. This was true astral projection, no floating and no soulstring. She should have felt proud that she'd finally managed it, but the whole stuck-in-a-dungeon-with-this-really-hot-guy-who's-butt-naked thing sorta made it pale in comparison. Especially when she couldn't do anything to the hot guy.

Because she wasn't looking where she was going, she couldn't help but walk straight into a door. Two minutes later she realised she was on the floor with a huge headache.

"Damn," She muttered, "I thought this sort of thing was going to stop when I got my eyes fixed." She got up, and headed into the room. A large grinn spread over her face. "Someone up there likes me." She told the ceiling, before going over to the cupboard and grabbing some trousers, boxers, and a shirt. Just in time, too.

She felt a strange jerk behind her eyes, and was back in her body.

* * *

Remus watched anxiously as Ada opened her eyes and gazed up at him. 

"Hey," She said softly.

"Hey," Remus replied.

Ada held up the bundle that had appeared in her arms, "I got you clothes."

"Thanks."

Ada got up, and walked over to one corner, facing the wall. "Hurry up." She commanded.

Remus obligingly slipped into the clothes, and was amused to see that the t-shirt read Death Eater's Camp 1987.

Ada turned around after a few moments and grinned. "Love the shirt."

"Really? Me too. But what about the trousers. I think they make my butt look big."

"No, darling, they look fabulous." Ada giggled, getting an attack of the sillies.

"Oh thank you, Ada!" Remus air-kissed her cheeks, and Ada giggled again.

Just then they heard humming, and a ratty little man walked in. "Hello, Remus," He began, "I'm here to clean up the bloody remains..." He trailed off when he saw Ada. "B-but you're s-supposed t-to b-be d-dead." He stammered.

"S-s-sorry." Ada said mockingly.

Remus reached for her hand and squeezed it.

Suddenly, Ada seemed to have a change of heart. She smiled rather seductively, the kind of smile that made any guy want a woman, and walked over to Pettigrew – for it was Pettigrew – with all the grace of a cat. "But enough about that." She said in a voice as smooth as honey. "What's your name?"

"P-Peter." Pettigrew stuttered.

"Peter." It sounded very good coming out of her mouth. "Are you like Peter Pan? Because flying is very...sensual."

Pettigrew went red, and bam! He was unconscious on the floor. Remus had no idea how she'd done it. All he'd seen her do was slide her arms around his neck.

"Wow," Remus said, walking over to peer at Pettigrew, who was definitely out cold, "What did you do?"

Ada shrugged. "Nothing much. Just applied pressure to a certain place on his neck. He'll be out until the blood starts circulating properly again."

"Wow. That's wicked." Remus followed Ada out the open door, which Pettigrew, in his arrogancy, hadn't shut.

"Now, if I remember correctly..." Ada frowned slightly, and Remus had the almost uncontrollable urge to kiss it away. "Yes!" She grabbed Remus' hand, dragged him down a hallway, behind a tapestry, and out into the sunshine. "Can you get us home from here?"

"I can try." Remus felt around his neck for his portkey, and grabbed it, squeezing it tight and whispering "_TomMarvoloRiddleisagit._"

There was a strange flash, and both he and Ada vanished.

* * *

AN: I'm posting the final two chapters today as a Christmas present. Merry Christmas!

_andy:_ As you can see, they sorted things out nicely. Go read the Epilogue!

_Evil Penguin Slayer:_ You're welcome! Merry Christmas to you, too!


	15. Epilogue

**Demorior Mori Mortuus Amaris**  
_To die for love_  
By Silver Sparklze

**Epilogue**

**See chapter 1 for disclaimer**

"Adeline!" Minerva gasped, as Adeline reappeared, arms wrapped around Remus, who was dressed as a teenage Death Eater.

Adeline smiled, a small smile, to be sure, but one nonetheless. "Hello, Minerva."

"We were just about to set up a search party again. It got too dark last night."

"Well," Adeline regretfully withdrew her arms from around Remus, "There's no need now, is there? We're here, safe and sound, and Voldemort is going to be _furious_ when he finds Peter Pettigrew locked in our cell."

Remus grinned, and looped his arm around her shoulders, ignoring her when she tried to shrug him off.

"I'll go inform Albus." Minerva said, "It's obvious that you two want to be alone." She walked off, chuckling, leaving Remus and Adeline gaping like goldfish.

* * *

"What was that about?" Ada asked, turning to Remus.

Remus rolled his eyes. "I wonder." He responded.

"What?!" Ada asked.

"Well, er..." Remus blushed, "She thinks we're...together?"

"Oh! Well...do you wanna be?" Ada bit her lip.

"Huh?" Remus couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"Don't make me say it again!" Ada's whole face was red, and most of her neck too.

In fact, Remus could almost be sure that her whole body was crimson. "Um...together...with you?"

Ada nodded. "Look, forget it," She said, "I don't know what I was thinking. You could have anyone you like, there's no way in hell you'd want to go out with someone like me, who's frightened of everything, a muggle, a weirdo, and too young anyway."

"Ada," Remus began, but Ada held up her hand.

"No, Remus let me finish. I know that you can't possibly like me, and not only for the aforementioned reasons. After all, relationships rely on a healthy dose of lust, and, well, let's face it; I'm not exactly alluring. In fact, I'm quite plain. So, now that I've finished embarrassing myself, I'll be on my way."

Before Remus could say anything, Ada had fled to the castle, and Remus grabbed both his and her cloaks, before following.

* * *

"Watch where you're going, Weaselette!" Malfoy snapped as Ginny hurried along the corridor. 

She turned back, smiling. "Sorry, Draco, I'm in rather a hurry." She said politely, enjoying the way his face reddened with rage. It really _was_ amusing, how your enemies went ballistic if you were polite to them.

"How dare you call me Draco." Malfoy snarled.

"It's your name, isn't it?" Ginny turned to walk away, only to have Draco grab her arm.

"Not so fast." He said, "Nobody turns away from me."

"Sorry, Draco, didn't mean to offend." Ginny said sweetly, "I'll be going now, all the same, I have to get to DADA." She gently extracted her arm from his grip, and skipped down the corridor, giggling.

Rule number one of pissing off a Malfoy, always be polite. That way, if they hire an assassin, it's not in retaliation.

As Ginny reached her destination, she slowed, a frown appearing. Remus had been gone since yesterday, and there was no guarantee that he'd ever be back. She closed her eyes tightly, wishing with all her heart for the impossible, before walking in, a cheery smile pasted on her face. She only just managed to stop it from falling when she saw Snape sitting at the teacher's desk.

She flopped into a seat next to her friend Colin Creevey, and her shoulders flumped, before a few hot tears slid down her cheeks. C

olin rubbed her shoulders comfortingly.

"He's not coming back." She whispered. "And neither is Adeline."

"Have faith, Ginny," Colin replied, his eyes large and trusting, "If you lose faith there's nothing worth living for."

"When you're finished." Snape snarled. "As I was saying before Miss Weasley and Creevey began their little hen night, Professor Lupin is away again." A slightly worried expression flitted across his face, before disappearing so quickly that none could be sure they'd even seen it. "So I will be teaching you once more. Now, today we will be learning about Sirens..."

Ginny tuned out, resting her head on her arms, and beginning to cry once more.

-------------------------------------

Adeline ran blindly through the halls of Hogwarts, only stopping when she got to the bathroom where she'd first met the guy she loved.

She stripped off her dirty clothes almost frantically, and hopped into the bath which had magically began to fill itself in her distress.

She practically dove in, and washed her hair quickly, the water swirling around her.

The air smelt like daisies and sunshine, and she closed her eyes against the harsh light of the sun.

* * *

That was how Remus found her, floating in the water, her darkening hair spread around her face, which showed mixture of pleasure and pain. 

He couldn't help but look at her. She looked so beautiful, so haunting, especially with the bruises on her face and body.

He blinked, when she sighed, and grabbed her towel, standing up, the water streaming from her body as she dried her face first.

She shook her head like a dog, and her hair flopped over her forehead, curling into ringlets that framed her face. Ada opened her eyes, and gasped, tripping over the edge of the tub, which she'd been about to get out of.

She fell directly into Remus' arms, the whole glorious length of her.

Remus staggered back slightly, although she was not heavy, he wasn't expecting her weight. He couldn't help himself; he ducked his head slightly, and captured Ada's mouth with his own.

Moments later, he pulled back. Ada hadn't responded, and yet, the kiss was still better than any other he'd had in his life. If her kisses were so powerful when she didn't respond, what would they be like if she did?

Ada raised her face to his, and the look in her eyes almost broke his heart. "Please," she whispered, "don't play with my heart like that. I can't take it..." A tear slowly made its way down her face.

"Don't cry, Ada," Remus said, wiping the tear away gently, "I can bear just about anything else, but I can't bear it when you cry." _Merlin, he thought, being in love has turned me into a major cliché._

"Since when do you watch sappy movies?" Ada sniffed, a watery smile turning up her lips for a moment, before they fell again.

"I don't. Ever since you entered my life, you've turned it into a soapie." Remus joked. Ada's lip trembled, and he hastened on. "Ada, I love you." She opened her mouth, but he overrode her. "I think I loved you since the moment I walked in on you in my bathroom." He grinned at the memory. "You looked so beautiful lying there, like a mermaid or a Selkie. So alluring, and so out of my reach. I mean, I'm an old tired werewolf, and you're a young, beautiful, talented, smart, funny, nice, compassionate, saucy temptress. What chance would I have with you? And you saw me transform, and didn't kill me. You could have, you know. All you'd have needed to do was take that silver letter opener around your neck, and driven it through my heart. You would have been quite justified in doing so. I was a monster."

"No!" Ada cried, eyes wide, "That would be murder! You're a human being! And I would never kill anyone! Not even...ok...maybe Pettigrew..."

Remus smiled. "You see?" He said, "How could I not fall in love with you? And I do love you. I love everything about you.

"I love the way you twist your hair around your fingers when you're thinking, and the way you crinkle your nose when something confuses you. And I love the way your hair refuses to be controlled, and how it isn't red, nor is it brown, but somewhere in the middle. And I love how you jump to the defence of people that you don't even know. How you'll do anything to help your friends, and how you refuse to betray people even under pressure. And I love how resourceful you are, and how you can stay bright and happy and hopeful even after every last person has given up.

"I adore the way you try your hardest not to pry, and hate to upset or disappoint anyone. I adore the way you have thrown yourself into teaching students who you have every right to be afraid of, since they could hurt you should they wish to. I adore the way you don't see your abilities as a curse, but rather as a gift. I adore the way you try to understand even the most confusing of people, and how you are willing to give people second chances and be friends with them even if they are mean to you. And yet you don't take crap from anyone, and you will stand up for the underdog…as I already mentioned.  
"I admire the way your skin glows, and how you treat house-elves with respect, rather than as servants. And I admire your modesty about your artistic talents.  
"I adore the way you gave up your fear for me, to help me, and how, even after I could have killed you, you still want to be with me.

"And most of all, I love the way you are so oblivious to your own beauty, and while seeing beauty in all things around you, you cannot see it in yourself. I love you, Adeline Chandler, all of you, even the bits you don't like, I love them too, because they are what makes you...you."

Ada blushed, and tears spilled down her cheeks, as she smiled. "That is the nicest thing anyone ever said to me," She said in a choky voice, "And most likely the most saccharine. But it's still sweet, so I can forgive you. I love you too, Remus."

She seemed to rather suddenly become conscious of her attire...or lack thereof, and flushed even darker. "We've got to stop meeting like this. But...are you sure? Because if you want to take it back..."

Remus kissed her, pouring all his love, desire, and admiration into the brief caress. "I love you, and I plan to show you that every single day for the rest of our lives, starting now." He vowed.

Ada looked at him with hooded eyes, darkened with desire. "Well," She said, her lips curving into a slow smile, "I think we have a problem there."

"What?!"

"You're a little over-dressed for such an endeavour, don't you think Mr. Lupin?" Ada teased, giving him a rather disappointed once-over.

Remus grinned, pulling the shirt over his head. "I guess I'd better remedy that," He said, beginning to undo the trousers.

* * *

Myrtle slipped out of the room unnoticed. She had a heck of a lot of people, ghosts, and paintings to tell... 

Finite


End file.
